Home buyers are very specific about what they want. They expect quality for their money and will shy away from filthy houses. Preparing house for sale is important. A well-prepared house fetches better prices than an untidy one. Dirty old and dilapidated homes cost buyers much money to clean. Most buyers rely on mortgages to purchase real estate. They never have any money left after paying for conveyance. These buyers will not accept houses that will cost them more money to clean and repair.

What to prepare?

Houses occupied for a long time tend to be old and weather-beaten. Water and sewerage system for these houses are usually faulty. The old houses have leaking faucets and blocked drainage systems. Some have sagging ceiling and leaking roofs. The most affected rooms in a house are the basement and garages. Most people reserve basement for items that are no longer used on a daily basis. These include childhood toys, old pianos, empty bottles and old clothes. The things are usually dumped into the basement and ignored. With time they gather dust, become a dump and generally litter the basement.

The garage is equally affected. Garages can be the storage area for road unworthy vehicles, car and bicycle parts, and all sorts of tools. It is in the garage where most people repair their cars or change the oil. All these activities results in garages being full, greasy and highly worn out. While this deplorable condition of the garage may be acceptable to current residents, prospective buyers will find it repugnant.

It is important to make a house look as presentable as possible. There are three simple but important things you need to do to make your house ready for sale. These are repair, painting and cleaning. It is advisable to undertake these activities in the given order to avoid repeating some tasks.

Repair the essentials

The first thing you need to do is to repair your house where it needs it most. The house you are selling will be a home for someone and you don’t want to ruin it for your own profit. Look for any cracks in the walls and fill them. Large cracks are not easy to hide with a coat of paint. It is better to fill them up appropriately. The roof may also need some repairs. You can change tile or iron sheets on the whole roof or just replace broken ones. Repair of roofs goes hand in hand with repair of the ceiling. Ensure that all windows have glasses or louvres. The window sill should be new and in proper working condition. They should open and close easily without producing any creaking sounds. You must also ensure that closets are in good working order. Others to repair include pipes, electrical systems and bathrooms.

Next thing you need to do is paint the house. Use colours that are acceptable in the market. You can research market trends to find out which colours current home buyers are looking for. Make sure that the paint work is taken care of by a qualified professional. Buyers these days have an eye for detail and will notice poor paint job at first glance.

Home repair usually leaves the house looking dirtier than it was before. The house may have chips of wood, water pools and cement. These need to be cleaned up. Clean the whole house including the garages and the basement. Ensure that the house is spotlessly clean. You should also mow the lawn and trim the yard if you want a great impression.