What I Wish Everyone Knew about…
How to Increase the Value of your Home
in just 28 Days
Day 1: Change Light Bulbs and Update Light Fixtures
It’s easy to forget about all the bulbs that have burned out over the years, but you want
your home to be as bright as possible. Lighting makes an incredible difference
in how a home looks to potential Buyers. Do any of your outside or inside
lights flicker on or off? If you have dated light fixtures (it’s OK, a lot of
us do), take a quick trip to IKEA or Home Depot and pick up some modern ones.
Day 2: Prepare the Paperwork
Buyers and agents are going to ask a lot of questions, so start digging out the paperwork
now: utility bills, tax bills, renovation details, warranties, mortgage details, survey and rental contracts.
Day 3: Get Boxes and Duct Tape
A big part of the adventure you’re about to embark on involves reducing clutter, and while
Costco and the LCBO might be cheap options for boxes, it sure isn’t convenient.
An investment under $100 will get you proper packing supplies and reduce your
stress. If you’re going to be moving a lot of stuff out of your house for the
sale, consider renting a POD storage locker – you fill it up at your house, and
it gets carted away, stored and delivered to your new home when you move in!
Day 4: Make an Extra Set of Keys
Prospective Buyers and their agents will need to access your home, so you’ll need an extra
set of keys. It’s worth the $3 not to have to open the lockbox every time you want to come home.
Day 5: Tackle the Bathrooms
Remove all the toiletries you have on display (nobody wants to know you use Head &
Shoulders). Invest in some new white towels (and no, you don’t get to use them). Visit Winners or HomeSense for affordable accessories: soap dish, toothbrush holder, etc. If your toilet seats, shower curtains or bath mats are gross (be honest with yourself), replace them. Consider replacing the toilet paper holder and towel rack/hooks too. Consider re-caulking the bathtub and shower.
Day 6: Declutter the Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the rooms Buyers are most attracted to so be sure to give the kitchen
the attention it deserves. Remove your blender/George Foreman Grill/Kitchen Aid
mixer/toaster/bread machine from the counters – you want the counters to be as
clear as possible. Clean inside all the cupboards (and yes, I mean remove
everything and wipe them out). Don’t cram all your dishes and food back in –
again, you want to convey to Buyers that your kitchen has enough storage for
the Buyer’s stuff. Clean inside the fridge (and remove the magnets, photos and
reminders). Turn on your self-cleaning oven. Consider investing in some fresh
flowers and a beautiful bowl with some fresh fruit in it.
Day 7: Next up: The Bedrooms
The bedrooms should be inviting, and that means more cleaning and decluttering and investing in a few props. If you don’t already have one, invest in a neutral-coloured
duvet cover and some new fancy pillows. Straighten the bookshelves. Remove
personal photos, knick-knacks and personal grooming products. Clean out the
closets. Consider getting an area rug if the floors are cold. If you’ve jammed
in a dresser or armoire that doesn’t really fit into the space, consider
storing it offsite. If you’ve converted two of your three bedrooms into
offices, convert at least one of them back into a bedroom.
Day 8: Tackle the Living Room
Clean the sofa and chairs and invest in some new throw pillows. Consider getting an area
rug to bring the room together. Hide the magazine rack and all the clutter that
has accumulated. Hide the wires from your TV/stereo/speakers. All remotes
should be out of site.
Day 9: Make Your Dining Room Look Like a Place Someone Might
Actually Want to Eat in
Remove the kids’ homework and the piles of stuff that have accumulated on the dining room
table. Clean up the hutch. If your dining chairs have seen better days, consider getting them reupholstered. Invest in a new tablecloth to hide an old table.
Day 10: De-clutter, Organize and Clean the Basement
If your basement is anything like ours, this is going to take more than one day.
Whether your basement is finished or just a storage area for extra stuff,
you’ll need to invest the time to make it look as spacious and clean as
possible. And what a great way to rid yourself of all that stuff you never use.
Day 11: Tackle the Closets and Storage Areas
Much as I’d love to say that you can cram all the stuff you don’t want on display into your
closets, Buyers will open your closets. They’ll look in your cupboards. And
they’ll decide if these closets and cupboards are functional or just not big
enough. The last thing you want is for Buyers to think there isn’t enough
storage in your home, so take the time to pack away what you don’t need in the
immediate future.
Day 12: Store vs. Donate vs. Throw Away
It’s a pain (and expensive) to store all the stuff you don’t really need.
Day 13: The Entrance
Remember that most Buyers will have an emotional reaction to your home within 15 seconds of entering it, so what they experience at the entrance is CRITICAL. You want
your entrance to be clean, de-cluttered and inviting. And no, you won’t really
wear all your shoes and coats while your house or condo is for sale, so be disciplined
and store things away. If you don’t have a hall closet, don’t pile 15 coats on
a coat rack – that’s just drawing attention to your lack of a closet. Please
remember the first and last thing people see is your front door – clean it,
paint it or change it.
Day 14: Get Rid of All the Things That Make Your Home Yours
You want your house or condo to appeal to as many Buyers as possible, and that will only
happen if they can picture their own stuff in your house. Get rid of all the
family photos, the collections and the souvenirs from your trip to Asia. Walk
through every room in your house and pretend you’re a Buyer. If what you see
helps people get to know you as you then remove it.
Day 15: Hire us The Gazeley Real Estate Group as your REALTOR
If you haven’t already hired someone, today is the day. A REALTOR will likely need two weeks to schedule and prepare the marketing. Check out our website: An experienced
listing agent will also guide you through the home preparation and staging
process, so you don’t have to do it alone.
Day 16: Paint Touch-ups and Re-painting
A fresh coat of paint is one of the cheapest ways to freshen up your home. Bold colours are
bound to be a turn-off to some Buyers, so to appeal to the most people as
possible take the time to re-paint that red bedroom and blue bathroom. (Tip:
light colours will help small rooms look bigger). Don’t forget about baseboards
and ceilings – they might need some paint too. Do you have wallpaper? Remove
all wallpaper and paint a neutral colour. Do your doors and trim need a fresh
coat of paint? (Your realtor and stager can help).
Day 17: Repair What You’ve Been Avoiding
We all have that list of never-never repairs and fixes. Now’s the time to get to it,
including fixing the leaky faucet, the picture holes in the wall, etc. and get
it done once and for all. If you aren’t handy yourself, bring in a handyman to
take care of it. Here are some suggestions. What updates have you been putting
off? Repair or replace even the smallest items (batteries in your smoke and
carbon monoxide detectors). What condition are your windows in? What condition
are our doors and trim in? Do you have any holes or cracks in your walls? What
condition is your plumbing in? Replace your furnace filter. Have you had any
problems with mould or mildew? Is your roof in good condition? What condition
is your foundation?
Day 18: Get the Windows Cleaned
I know, you probably don’t even think about cleaning your windows, but rain, snow and
construction can really make your windows dirty – and bright is better.
Day 19: Focus on the Front Yard
Curb appeal matters and will significantly impact people’s first impression of your house.
Stand on your street and take in your front yard: what do you see? At a
minimum, clean the scuff marks off the front door and touch-up the chipped
paint or give it a fresh coat. And if your front door has seen better days,
consider investing in a new one. If you have a front porch, make it look
inviting. Invest in some seasonal plants. Clean up the garden. A lot of Buyers
will see your home at night, so make sure that your outdoor lighting is showing
off your home.
Day 20: Backyard
What you can accomplish in the backyard will depend on what time of year you sell. If you’re selling in the spring/summer: clean up the gardens, trim the trees, cut the
grass, stain the deck and clean the patio furniture and BBQ. If it’s winter: do
your best to make it look presentable. If you have a garage: tidy it up and fix
any peeling paint and the sagging roof etc.,
Day 21: Get the Carpets Cleaned or Replaced
Unless your carpets are brand new, you’ll want to have them steam cleaned (or do it
yourself). You’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes. What condition is
your carpet in? What colour is your carpet? If you need to replace your carpet
– do you need to do it in every room? If not, select something that will go
with the rest of the carpet in the house.
Day 22: Don’t Forget About the Floors
You’ll need more than a Swiffer to get into all the corners and cracks. If your floors are
scratched, there are some great products out there to make them look almost
brand new. What style of vinyl flooring do you have in your house? Does it need
to be replaced? Do you have hardwood? Does it need to be re-finished?
Day 23: Tackle the Walls and Doors
If your walls and doors are scuffed, buy some Magic Erasers, and go to town. You’ll
wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. If your art needs an update, now’s the time
to do it too.
Day 24: The Final Clean
By now you’re probably exhausted. Sorry about that. While you can do this final step
yourself, we always like to bring in professional cleaners who will make sure
to clean all the spots you don’t: the baseboards, inside the lights, the
fridge, etc.
Day 25: Make Plans for the Kids and the Dog/Cat/Hedgehog
No Buyer wants to look at all your kids’ toys, finger-painting works of art or dirty
diapers, so put it all away and plan to keep it concealed. I love my dogs too,
but prospective Buyers won’t appreciate the barking/jumping/submissive peeing.
Plan to get your pets out of the house: Doggie daycare? Grandma and Grandpa?
Multiple walks.
Day 26: Make Your Home Smell Good
If you’re a dog owner, wash any couches, beds, and surfaces where the dogs sleep. You may not smell him anymore, but Buyers will. Tuck the litter box away (and clean it
twice a day while your home is on the market). Use Febreze on EVERYTHING.
Consider lighting some candles (but avoid strong air fresheners).
Day 27: Photography
When your house or condo is de-cluttered, cleaned, and ready for prime time, it’s time
for the photographer to work his magic. This will happen a few days before you
list your home for sale and with The Gazeley Real Estate Group your photography
day will include a virtual tour and a video. Make sure to tell your REALTOR the
times when the light is best – that’ll make a big difference in the photos.
Day 28: The Final Once-Over
You’ve worked hard, and now it’s time to step back and admire your work. How does it
look? Do you see anything that might distract or turn off a Buyer? Take one
final walk through all the rooms and adjust as necessary.