| Some home sellers just don't get it. They've | | | | and empty waste baskets every morning. You |
| upgraded their home with every whistle and | | | | won't always have much notice when buyers |
| bell, had an interior designer in to spruce | | | | might be touring your home, be ready. I like |
| everything up. Potential buyers though take a | | | | the new Mr. Clean (melamine) sponges, they |
| brisk tour with their arms folded, before you | | | | cut the elbow grease required for daily |
| realize it the showing is over, but maybe it | | | | spruce-ups and work great on painted |
| never began. Outside they can't wait to wash | | | | surfaces.-Buyers love natural light, make |
| their hands and breathe some fresh air. Dirty | | | | sure that your drapes are fully open, the |
| homes no matter how fancy are more difficult | | | | blinds or shades work properly and your |
| to sell.Home sellers need to understand that | | | | windows sparkle inside and out. Use newspaper |
| marketing a home is not like living in it | | | | or fresh coffee filters on windows with a |
| day-to-day, and you have a very limited | | | | vinegar and water solution, dry in opposite |
| window of time to make a good first | | | | directions to determine which side is |
| impression from the cleanliness quotient. The | | | | streaked.-Dust turns into dirt. You'll never |
| cleanliness quotient can seal or kill a home. | | | | know in advance when Mr. or Ms. Clean will be |
| Mark Nash author of 1001 Tips for Buying and | | | | coming through. You might have a high |
| Selling a Home cleaning tips for home sellers | | | | tolerance to dust, but now is not the time to |
| who want to get it right the first showing. | | | | be lax. Vacuum dust first and follow up with |
| Nash offers ways to say clean to buyers five | | | | a micro-fiber cloth. If you're in a pinch , |
| senses.-Sense of smell rules the cleanliness | | | | used dryer sheets make a great recycled |
| quotient. No smoking inside the house from | | | | duster.-Hardwood floors are a must-have for |
| the day you decide to sell. Stale cigarette | | | | homebuyers. Before you market your home take |
| smells says yuck to buyers. Forget the exotic | | | | the time to thoroughly clean and polish your |
| spices in recipes, even if you have an | | | | floors. Black tea is a green pick-me-up for |
| exhaust fan, they permeate upholstery and | | | | hardwood, the tannins in tea leave a lovely |
| carpeting. Clean the litter box and bird cage | | | | shine.-You can't hide dirty showers. Every |
| every day. Many buyers are allergic to pets | | | | buyer pulls back the shower curtain. Rid |
| and in hot humid weather, overwhelming urine | | | | yourself of mold and dirty grout. I use a |
| smells are not the right greeting or a red | | | | solution of vinegar and water, followed by |
| allergy flag for your home. If you cheat on | | | | toothpaste for those hard to remove stains. |
| this one, open all your windows and turn on | | | | Don't forget to wash the shower curtain |
| every bathroom exhaust fan for an | | | | liner, throw it in the washer with some |
| hour.-Buyers need to see the house not your | | | | towels and line dry.-Buyers always peek |
| stuff or dirt. Stepping around or over books, | | | | inside refrigerators. Make the time to give |
| clothing or misplaced furniture frustrates | | | | your appliances a good cleaning, because if |
| buyers because they focus on maneuvering and | | | | they're included buyers will inspect them. |
| not on the home. Dirt is your number one | | | | Old food, gummy spills and moldy condiments |
| enemy on home showings. Kitchens and | | | | don't sell homes. My dishwasher takes |
| bathrooms should shimmer and shine. | | | | everything from the stove top grates to the |
| Baseboards and moldings should be clean and | | | | vegetable drawer in the fridge and even the |
| chip-free. Hardwood and ceramic floors should | | | | lint filter from the dryer.-Change furnace |
| glow. Clutter follows dirt on buyers top | | | | and air-conditioner filters. This is often |
| turn-offs.-Sound is an often overlooked but | | | | ignored but many buyers and home inspectors |
| important part of the cleaning quotient. | | | | see dirty filters as a sign of an |
| Background noises such as barking dogs, | | | | under-maintained home. Clean the blade tops |
| out-of-sight ringing cell phones and loud | | | | on ceiling fans too, I've see too many |
| neighbors are noise pollution when house | | | | rainstorms of dust bunnies from dirty ones in |
| hunting. Ditto busy streets, overhead planes | | | | unused rooms.-Clean light switch plates, door |
| and nearby trains. To set the right tone, | | | | knobs and kitchen cabinet hardware often. |
| play some light jazz or new-age music at a | | | | These are the number one places that all |
| low level, especially in rooms adjacent to | | | | buyers interact with on showings, if they |
| your entry way.A few details of the cleaning | | | | keep running into dirty ones, it could be |
| quotient.-You must pick-up and de-clutter | | | | their over all take-away.-Don't be afraid of |
| every day. The mail piles, newspapers and | | | | hiring some cleaning help. It can be |
| toys need to have a place, purchase some | | | | over-whelming with all you have to do to get |
| decorative wicker baskets for catch-alls. My | | | | your home ready to sell. Consider hiring a |
| motto is "when in doubt, throw it out (or | | | | professional team for a top-to-bottom |
| recycle)". If you are moving soon, will you | | | | cleansing. Once you have everything up to the |
| really have the time to read all that | | | | same clean quotient, it will be easier to |
| stuff?-Wipe down the kitchen sink, bathrooms | | | | maintain. |