And now for smell… Garages, because of the things that are often done in them, frequently do not have the most appealing of scents. There are many fixes for this – pick a suitable one. When you are showing the house, be sure noisy garage systems are shut down. This would include water treatment devices, compressors, pumps, etc.

Now, go to the door through which perspective buyers will enter your home and walk inside. Try to see it anew – like the buyers will. Does the door squeak? (Remember "hear no evil.") Do the springs or pneumatic closer on a screen door slam it shut too hard, or fail to close the door behind you? Is the door clean? Is the screen clean? Does the door stick? Is the doorknob tight? Clean? Is the sealant in good condition? Do the locks work smoothly and efficiently? Are there any cobwebs on that decorative knocker that's never touched?

What grabs your attention first as you enter the house? Whatever it is, does it make a positive first impression? This is a good thing to remember as you enter each and every room. One thing that is often overlooked is windows. When you enter a particular room at a particular time of day, does the sun come glaring in and hit the doorway. Those blinds or curtains may need to be shut for those times of day. Buyers do not like walking into a room and being struck by painfully bright sunlight – something that is common in Tucson homes.

Following is a list of general things to check in each room. Sure, it takes time – and more time, when necessary, to affect repairs. But if you keep that balance intact, it is time well (and profitably) spent. "Specialty rooms" require a few extra checks, but those will be dealt with at the end of this generalrooms checklist.

General Rooms Checklist:

Baseboards (usually dirty and often scuffed, but most scuffs can simply be washed off). Consider thorough cleaning and spot-painting before a full repainting is undertaken. Gouges and chips should be filled before painting. If you have door stops on these baseboards, check to make sure they are in good order. Replacing them is cheap, and easy and can make a world of difference in appearance.

Smoke alarms must, by law, be fully functional. Go ahead and make sure they all are. While you're at it, you might consider installing new backup batteries in all of them. Nothing is worse (during a showing to perspective buyers) than a smoke alarm intermittently shrieking that its battery is no longer within specifications.

Door handles, hinges, locks, and locksets are one of the most overlooked areas. Grab a screw driver and a can of WD-40 and you're ready to make most door handles, locksets and hinges a joy to use. Make sure the knobs and handles are tight. Also, go ahead and fully close the door to test the mechanisms. Some doors are just not ever closed, and may be slightly out of alignment – in which case, you need to properly align them. Don't just oil the hinges, give the interior mechanism of the lockset or handle a shot. Just push in the nozzle, give it a squirt and then work the mechanism. Be sure and wipe off any excess lubricant. You'll actually feel it improve, and hear it become quieter. If you have a keyed lockset, don't use WD-40 to oil the hole where the key slides in. Get some graphite for locks at the hardware store and put the tiniest 'puff' of it directly in where the key goes. Insert the key and slide it in and out several times. Now, work the key several times – until it all feels smooth and new. When you remove the key, wipe the excess graphite from the key, and from around the keyhole. Sliding glass doors get some special treatment. If you have holes in a door, consider filling them and touch-up painting. If necessary, repaint the entire door. Lastly, check any sealers that are used to prevent air and water leaks. These can rarely be repaired, so just replace any that need it. Doors are very noticeable! (For excellent touch-up paint results that are faster, better, and cheaper, buy a package of SMALL (1/4" – 1/2 " width) cheap artists brushes at the discount store. These will fit into small places great, and will assist you in not using too much paint. Also, when you're through with one, just throw it away – which saves clean-up time!)

Lights are simple. Make sure they all work. If not, replace bulbs or switches as necessary. Make sure fixtures (or bulbs on some decorative fixtures) are clean and look good both with the lights on and off.

<< Previous Page :: :: :: Next Page >>