Buying & Selling Tips

• First & foremost: How much home can you afford? Your local lender is more than happy to sit down with you and help you get pre-approved for a mortgage. This doesn't commit you to anything, it just helps you know which price range you can afford to look in.
  
  
• Do you want an existing home, or are you going to build?
  
  
• Do you want to be in town, out in the country, or on a lake lot?
  
  
• If not in town, how many miles out are you willing to go?
  
  
• How many bedrooms?
  
  
• How many bathrooms?
  
  
• How much real estate would you like?
  
  
• Is there a particular style of home you would like? (i.e. rambler, split entry, split level, colonial etc.)
  
  
• If you have (or want) pets, are there any restrictions in the area in which you are looking? (Dogs & cats are usually fine, but horses & farm animals may be a different story)
  
  

• General
  
  
  • Oil squeaky doors
  • Tighten doorknobs
  • Replace burned out lightbulbs
  • Wash & repair windows
  • Touch up chipped paint
  • Repair cracked plaster
  • Repair leaking faucets & toilets
  
  
• Squeaky Clean
  
  
  • Shampoo carpets
  • Clean laundry area
  • Clean furnace
  • Clean kitchen appliances
  • Clean & freshen bathrooms
  
  
• I Spy - First Impressions Count!
  
  
  • Is the entry way clean & tidy?
  • Does the doorbell work?
  • Does the door hardware shine?
  • Make closets neat & tidy
  • Clean stuff off countertops
  
  
• From the Outside
  
  
  • Cut lawns
  • Trim shrubs
  • Weed and edge the garden
  • Pick up any litter in the yard
  • Clear leaves off sidewalk
  • Repair gutters and eaves
  • Touch up exterior paint
  
  
• During Showings
  
  
  • Turn on all lights
  • Open drapes during the day
  • Play quiet music
  • Keep the pets outside
  • Be absent during showing
  
  
• Un-Clutter
  
  
  • Clear stuff off stairs
  • Store excess furniture
  • Clear stuff out of hallways
  • Make closets neat & tidy
  • Clean stuff off countertops

• Pick up toys, make the beds, put clothes away
  
  
• Do a quick clean-up of the kitchen & bathrooms - you want them to shine!
  
  
• 0pen drapes and turn on lights - a cheerful home makes a good impression!
  
  
• Turn the television off-it can be distracting. You may want to have soft music playing in the background.
  
  
• If possible, it really is best if you can leave the home while it's being shown. Potential buyers have a hard time imagining the home as theirs if the current owner is there.