Don't forget outdoor lighting. This is an area where many people make improvements during their ownership. Do all the bulbs work? Are all the fixtures in good repair, and are they eye-appealing? Are all the wires fully buried? And so forth. Replace bulbs, clean fixtures and bury wires as necessary.

Hopefully, you won't find anything major such as the wood trim on the house needs to be repainted (or replaced), or the roof needs some new shingles – or a whole new cover. If you've kept your home in good repair, you will most likely be able to touch-up paint small areas of trim – including exterior doors. If you do find something major, you'll be able to determine how to deal with it best after you have a complete list of what needs to be done to the entire property.

Once you have completed your tour of the yard and house exterior, it's time to take a look at the garage. If you don't have a garage, skip this step. Don't rush through your garage inspection – it can be a very important area during the selling process. Some people put freezers or extra refrigerators in the garage, while some build workshops, or create very functional storage or hobby areas. Of course, some people simply park their vehicles in them, but you never know about your potential buyers' intended uses, so make sure your garage is suitable for any use. Be sure to check the door handles for unusual wear, stains from paints, or other garage chemicals and even dents. Electric garage door openers should work flawlessly, and the light bulbs should be good.

Garages usually have a pretty hard life, and they don't often get much attention in the way of maintenance or improvement. Most often, after a few years of regular use, a garage will need a complete repainting. It's one of the easiest 'rooms' to do this to, but don't do it if it doesn't need it. Be sure to check the door going into the house – these are often quite scuffed up and/or dented from the type of use they get. Painting just the door is a breeze. (Whenever you are going to paint, it's a very good idea to first go through the room with a container of premixed latex joint compound or spackling, and a putty knife. Fill in dents, cracks or holes and smooth over them with a damp putty knife blade. After the compound dries, use some 220 grit sandpaper to quickly and easily smooth them. Be gentle with the sandpaper, and mind the dust! This is a fast, easy operation that makes a very substantial difference in the final appearance of the room.)

Now for the garage floor… Grease and oil spotting and stains can be dramatically reduced simply by putting some cheap, dry absorbent matter on the spots and leaving it there for a few days. This is available at any hardware store and is very effective. If you have cracks, consider one of the many types of fillers available. If the floor is really bad, you might consider washing it with a proper mixture of etching acid and then painting it. Be sure to do this properly or the paint will very quickly bubble and peel off – maybe even before you get the house sold!

Make sure you have no overworked electrical outlets in the garage. If you do, unplug a few things you don't use all the time. While you're at it, make sure all the duplexes work properly. Receptacles do wear out or get broken, and require replacement on occasion. Also, many people remove the cover plates for duplexes in their garage. If you've done this, clean and replace them. A garage is also a good place to consider removing and washing all of the receptacle and switch covers.

A very nice touch to any home is a well marked fuse panel – which is often in the garage. It doesn't take very long to do this, and it will come in handy while you're working on the house. It also makes a good impression on potential buyers. An easy way to mark the box metal is with a Sharpie indelible pen.

If your hot water heater, water purification/softening system, or parts of your heating and cooling system are in the garage, this is a good time to check them cosmetically. Sometimes rust stains happen or mold or mildew. Make a note to get it all removed or cleaned up. In the dusty desert environment of Tucson, Arizona – it's never too soon to change the air filter in these either!

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