Never Underestimate the Impact of a Clean Home When Selling

A clean home, simply put, gives buyers the immediate impression that you take pride in homeownership. And that first impression is often the one that will sell your Atlanta home. Although your fireplace, swimming pool and master suite will help sell your home, it is often the smallest details that sellers overlook – yet buyers do not - when selling their home. Your clean Atlanta home speaks volumes about yourself as the seller and about the condition of your home. A buyer will likely equate your clean home to how well you care for your home, and that can mean a lot when it comes time to sell your home.

So, what should you be focusing on when it comes time to sell your Atlanta home?

The FloorA home's flooring is often ignored when it comes time for cleaning, yet often makes a big difference in a buyer's overall impression of a home. First things first: either rent a good carpet steam cleaner or pay a carpet cleaning company to thoroughly clean your carpets. Stained carpets are the easiest way to turn buyers off! Next, tackle the grout lines on your ceramic tile floors, and replace the grout if it is too dirty to clean. If your linoleum is sporting ground-in dirt, it may be time to replace it, as well. Your hardwood floors should be in immaculate condition. Gleaming hardwood floors are a huge selling point; scuffed, worn and damaged ones are not.

The Walls
Dirty, damaged walls might as well have large bulls-eyes drawn on them, as they are often immediately noticed the moment buyers walk into the room. Scrub down all your walls to remove stains, smudges or dirt marks. If the walls are too dirty, paint them! A can of paint and an afternoon of hard work will surely pay off in the long run.

The Windows
A buyer should marvel at your sprawling backyard when they look out the window, not dirt and grime. Now would be an excellent time to either clean the windows yourself – inside and out – or hire a window cleaning company to do it for you. Windows, including the window sills and runners, should be given immediate attention before listing your home for sale.

Kitchen Appliances
Your kitchen appliances, particularly if they are staying with the home, should be sparkling clean. Both the outside surface of the appliances, as well as the inside (yes, that means scrubbing out the oven and tackling the mess in the refrigerator) should be thoroughly cleaned.

The BathroomIt is a fact that home buyers will check every square inch of your Atlanta home, including the bathtub! Be prepared by scrubbing your bathroom from top to bottom in anticipation of a showing or open house.

Cleanliness is only one of the first steps that contributes to selling a home. Tina Fountain Realtors creates a customized strategy to sell each individual home. If you are interested in selling your metro Atlanta home, please visit www.tinafountain.com/ for more information.