A great time for planting a ‘sold’ sign

Are you planning to sell your home this year? Some indoor and outdoor cleaning may be in order.

It’s a good idea to get this done before bringing in an agent. Your home will be worth more to a potential buyer if it is move-in ready, the cleaning has been done and there is little in the way of upkeep maintenance to do.

Roll up your sleeves, then - let’s get to work. Here are the Top 10 outdoor maintenance jobs that can help your home reach its full selling price:

1. Wash windows, inside and out.

2. Use a power washer to clean the garage, siding, brick and foundation. Touch up with paint and make repairs as necessary.

3. Give the asphalt driveway a coat of sealer, and patch cracks as necessary. Power wash and remove weeds from driveways paved in concrete or tumbled stone.

4. Reduce porch clutter. Add a simple seating arrangement, and perhaps some greenery. If there is room, make an “oasis” where a potential buyer can envision sitting to watch the kids play outside.

5. Take down the coach or safety lights and wash the shades. Add decorative lighting to the garden if you wish - it invites potential buyers to approach when they come to see the home in the evening. 

6. Tidy up that mailbox, if you still have one. A coat of paint, or a new box entirely, will make the front of the home look new.

7. In the same vein, adding a new house number or taking down the old letters and refreshing them with paint will make it easy for potential buyers and agents to find your home. 

8. Tidy up the edging and refresh the plantings in your front gardens. Trim overgrown hedges and shrubbery. If you don’t have a garden, consider making a small one in front, with low-maintenance shrubbery or various annual and perennial plantings.

9. Have the front lawn rolled and seeded to ensure a thick grass growth, which will choke out weeds naturally.

10. Paint the front door a colour that will stand out against your home. Refresh hardware if possible, remove the screen door to declutter your entryway and add a brass kick plate for interest.

11. Contact Sally McGarr Realty Corp. and plant the “For Sale” sign!

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