For Sale By Owner Checklist: How to Get the Most For Your Home

Download FSBO Checklist: Click Here

First impressions are probably one of the more important factors in selling your home (besides price). So when you put your home on the market, it will pay to make sure your home looks its best.

You can accomplish this by viewing your home as if you were the “prospective buyer”. Imagine you are seeing the home for the first time, and try to notice its highlights and drawbacks.

Then, start sprucing up in order to “emphasize and add” to its highlights. This is often easier said than done, because some things may be easily overlooked unless you decide to make your improvements systematically.

We’ve prepared a checklist to help you do just that. As you will see, it includes tips which can make virtually any property look its best. This will assist you in selling your home at the best price – fast.

Check off the items that apply to your home. If an item calls for an expense (i.e. painting, etc.), weigh the cost to the results of your investment.

OUTSIDE

__ Trim Shrubs
__ Mow lawn
__ Weed flower beds
__ Repair walk, driveway
__ Repair steps, porch
__ Clean porch light, post lamp
__ Clean siding
__ Paint trim, front of house, front door, mailbox
__ Paint sides, back of house
__ Repair roof, gutters, down spouts
__ Clean/repair screens
__ Clean/paint/repair garage -dispose of what you don’t intend to keep

INSIDE – GENERAL

__ Paint where necessary
__ Clean/fix windows, make sure doors/windows are operating freely -
lubricate with wax or WD-40
__ Clean/polish floors
__ Replace burned out light bulbs, brighten other lighting with more
powerful bulbs
__ Fix squeaking floors/doors
__ Fix light switches/electrical outlets
__ Repair/repaint cracked walls/ceilings
__ Fix faucet drips, fix leaky pipes under sink areas
__ Clear clogged drains
__ Clean fireplace, lay logs for fire or seasonal arrangement
__ Straighten all closets
__ Use room deodorants to remove any odors
__ Vacuum/shampoo rugs
__ Clean/polish brass, metal, etc. fixtures
__ Clean up and dispose of items you are not going to move with you

KITCHEN

__ Paint/clean cabinets
__ Use bright window treatments
__ Clean ventilating hood/fan
__ Clear off counter tops to make kitchen look spacious and neat
__ Make sure drawers slide smoothly and are organized
__ Clean exterior of range, oven, refrigerator and other major appliances

BATHROOMS

__ Put out fresh towels
__ Clean fixtures, tub, toilet
__ Replace toilet seat
__ Clean shower curtain
__ Clean tile/shower walls

BEDROOMS

__ Make beds
__ Use most attractive bedspread/curtains

LIVINGROOM/DEN

__ Plump up cushions
__ Stack newspapers/magazines
__ Clean television screen

DINING ROOM

__ Polish table, buffet
__ Clean glass in china cabinet

LAUNDRY AREA

__ Remove hanging clothes
__ Put away laundry soaps, etc.

THEN LET YOUR HOME SELL ITSELF. When showing your home, answer any and all questions the potential buyer may have, and you should disclose any information about the house that you are aware of.