Quick and Cheap Fix-Ups for Selling

  • First impression – Spend some time on the outside of your home.  Show your home is taken care of from the inside out on the first impression.
  • Fencing and gates – fix any broken hinges or wobbly locks on gates. Remove any rusted items from yard.
  • Peeling wallpaper – Grab some wallpaper paste and get to gluing!
  • Squeaky Doors and Cabinets – take some WD-40 to those hinges
  • Squeaky Floors – talcum powder places between cracks can buffer down the noise.
  • Chandeliers – With white cotton gloves sprayed with glass cleaner, hand wipe the crystals/glass and dry them.
  • Stained tubs and sinks – An equal mixture of cream of tartar and baking soda can do the trick.  Mix in enough lemon juice to make a paste.  Let the mixture sit on stained area for 30 minutes before cleaning off.
  • Scuffed Linoleum – Rub in toothpaste OR WD-40 on scuffs with a white eraser or rag. Then clean floors.
  • Spruce up the Entrance – replace the lighting on your porch, add greenery, and change out or add numbers on your house.
  • Backsplash – Bring some decor to a plain kitchen with an affordable backsplash. Look to DIYnetwork.com for plenty of ideas!
  • Pressure Wash – Pressure wash your home, driveway, sidewalks, decks and gutters.
  • Front Door – A fresh paint job on your front door can give your porch a crisp, clean feel.
  • Mirrors – Hanging mirrors instead of large pictures will make your home seem more open and bright.
  • Caulking – replace discolored caulking for a clean look.
  • Closets – store away unused items or out of season clothing to make your closets look more spacious and tidy.
  • Depersonalize – Allow the buyer to imagine themselves in the home.  Replace pictures with mirrors and remove all knick knacks.
  • Stage your Dining Room – Set placemats, tall candles, glassware set for at least 4 people.
  • Stage Bedrooms – Use throw pillows and new looking linens to give a welcoming, romantic, clean feel.
  • Liven up each room – All rooms in the house should look lived in and completed, even the basement.
  • Garage – Store away unused things.  Add hooks to hang up tools and bikes.  Get everything you can off of the floor.
  • Attack Odors – The smell of your home is one of the first things a buyer will notice.  You want to add some candles, maybe air fresheners in the closets and bathrooms, but not TOO MUCH.  Too many smelly good items can lead a buyer into thinking you are hiding something.

Don’t forget to review our Staging your Home Checklist as well for more tips!