Home Preparation Checklist
To get the best return when selling your home, it’s important to make every space look its best. Here’s an updated checklist to help you:
Inside Your Home
Floor Coverings (carpeting, tile, linoleum, hardwood, etc.)
- Are floors clean and free of dirt or stains?
- Inspect for excessive wear, damage, or uneven flooring.
- Area rugs clean, stain-free, and strategically placed for maximum appeal?
Walls and Ceilings
- Are walls and ceilings free of dirt, fingerprints, or stains?
- Address any cracks, chips, or water damage before listing.
- Consider fresh, neutral paint to create a bright, roomy atmosphere.
Doors
- Ensure doors open and close easily, without squeaks.
- Check if they need a fresh coat of paint or if hardware needs to be updated.
Windows
- Ensure windows are sparkling clean, chip- and crack-free.
- Do they open/close easily, and are locks working properly?
- Make sure window coverings (curtains, drapes, blinds) are in good condition and open easily.
Lighting
- All lightbulbs should be working and of proper wattage.
- Are all switches and lamps working, with no exposed wiring?
- Adequate lighting makes rooms more inviting.
Pet Areas
- Keep pet areas clean, organized, and odor-free.
Entryways and Hallways
- Entryways should be free of clutter and clean.
- Use a fresh welcome mat for a great first impression.
Closets and Storage Areas
- Organize closets neatly; remove excess items and clutter.
- Ensure clothes are hung neatly, and shoes are stored/stacked in an organized way.
Kitchen
- Make sure every surface sparkling clean.
- Organize countertops and remove all but daily-use appliances.
- Check that the refrigerator is spotless, inside and out, and that spoiled food is discarded.
- Ensure the oven/stove-top, sinks, and cupboards are all clean and in working order.
Living Room/Dining Room/Bedrooms/Den/Study
- Everything should be vacuumed and dusted thoroughly.
- Remove excess furniture to create a more open, roomy atmosphere.
- Ensure all furniture is clean and in good condition, and bookshelves are clutter-free.
- Children’s games/toys stored neatly?
- Fragile items removed and stored?
- Smaller valuables removed/locked away?
- Window coverings open for views and sunlight?
Bathrooms/Powder Room
- Every surface sparkling clean?
- Counter-tops organized, free of clutter? Fresh soap?
- Sinks spotlessly clean; faucets working properly?
- Tub and shower surfaces clean?
- Towels stain-free and hanging neatly?
- Shower curtain clean and in good repair?
- Make sure toilets and faucets are working properly.
Basement/Furnace Room/Garage/Attic/Storeroom
- These spaces should be clean, organized, and free of clutter.
- Remaining items stored/stacked neatly?
- Everything thoroughly vacuumed/dusted?
Outside Your Home
Structures
- Exterior surfaces clean, in good condition?
- Front door exterior clean, inviting?
- Eaves troughs and downspouts clean, in good repair?
- Gates open/close properly; hardware working?
- Fences/decks in good repair, in good condition?
Driveways and Sidewalks
- Sidewalks and walkways in good repair?
- Driveway clean, in good repair? (free of snow or ice if applicable)
Yard and Environment
- Regularly mow the lawn, prune trees, and trim hedges.
- Remove leaves from lawns and flower beds.
- Replace any dead plants and remove any "junk" or scrap from the yard.
- Bicycles, children’s toys stored neatly, out of way?
- Firewood organized and neatly stacked?
- Yard free of “doggy deposits”?