Getting The Living Room Ready to Sell

Getting Your House Ready to Sell Room by Room
by Shannon Aldrich, Licensed Real Estate Consultant for Maine and New Hampshire

The Living Room

Staging is key to presenting your home in the best light. As they say you only have one chance to make a good first impression. Rightly or not, a Buyer sizes up a house and makes their decision in the first couple of minutes. Going through the extra effort will show in both how quickly your home sells and for how much. This series will take us room by room with tips on how you can be show perfect. Let's break down the living room first.

Living Room Checklist

Doorway

• Does the front door open & close easily?
• Oil any squeaky hinges, use a bar of soap on the wood frame to stop sticks
• Put new colorful mat at the front door
• Does the doorbell ring right?
• Do the locks work easily?
• Polish the door handles.
• Remove any clutter near the door.

Windows

• Clean all the windows - inside and out
• Check the window screens - repair or replace any torn or bent ones
• Clean the window blinds and window treatments
• Open the blinds and the curtains before a showing to let the light in.

Lighting

• Clean all the light fixtures
• Increase wattage in all the light bulbs
• Do all the switches turn something on?
• Are all the switch plates and outlet plates clean?
• Easy upgrade to change out all the plates in a room. Upgrade to brass or nickel

Floors

• How's the carpet?
• Does it need to be cleaned? Get them professionally done.
• Vacuum every couple of days until it's sold
• Is the carpet loose anywhere?
• How are the hardwood floors?
• Do they need to be polished? Refinished?

Walls

• Are there any cob webs in the corners?
• Look for scuff marks, picture holes, etc. Should you paint?
• If you paint the walls, paint the ceiling and trim as well.
• Paint is the easiest way to refresh a room

Furniture

• Is there too much for the room? Reduce, reduce, reduce
• What shape is the furniture in? Should you clean it or put on a slip cover?
• Dust it all!
• What's on the coffee table or side tables?

Electronics

• Can the entertainment center close to cover the TV?
• If TV is out in the open - keep it and all the other toys dusted
• Clear away video/DVD/CD collections

Other

• Clean the fireplace hearth and tools
• Are the plants alive or dead? Do you have too many of them?
• Reduce the family pictures
• Reduce the books on the shelves
• Put the toys out of sight.
• De-clutter the coat closet
• Clean all the mirrors and dust all the picture frames.

Now that you have the living room under control we can move on to the heart of the house - the Kitchen.
By Shannon Aldrich ©, Keller Williams Coastal Realty

"Your Seacoast Second Home and Vacation Home Specialist"

Shannon Aldrich
Keller Williams Coastal Realty
Portsmouth, NH
www.RealEstateSeacoast.com