The Silent Deal Killer

By Mike Lightbourn

When preparing your home for sale, remember that even “minor” blotches and glitches may turn a buyer off.

Small things, such as a leaky faucet or a crack in the wall, can leave a buyer with an overall impression of neglect, especially if there are multi “minor” issues.

Most homes have sore spots that owners don’t see simply because they’ve become accustomed to them.

However, these spots will leap out at buyers who look at your home for the first time.

SETTING THE STAGE

First impressions start even before a buyer enters your property.

Is the verge outside your home nicely grassed and maintained, or is it barren or overgrown? Is the boundary wall and gate clean and in good repair?

What about the walkway? Is it smooth or cracked and chipped? Perhaps there’s mildew on it.

Now take a look at your front door and the boxing below your roof. What sort of condition are they in?

If a concrete walkway’s cracked, a little masonry and a lick of paint will go a long way to enhance the curb appeal of your home.

The front door should be freshly painted or oiled, rotten wood in the boxing replaced and painted.

Cleanliness is crucial. Everything should be scrubbed spotless – whether it’s the walkway, the boxing or the front door. Vinegar and water (or bleach and water for tough jobs) will do wonders for dirt and mildew.

This principle applies inside and out.

JUST PLAIN GROSS

Now, let’s look at “minor” things inside a home that are real turn off's.

Dirty tile grout probably takes the prize. Let’s face it, it’s just plain gross.

A clean bright tile floor in the kitchen and bathroom is crucial when showing your home. Cleaning tile grout may take sweat and elbow grease, but it’s well worth the effort. There are several natural products that remove dirt and mildew from grout, including baking soda, lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide. Google for help.

Use a toothbrush to tackle the grout in bathroom wall tiles.

Cracks in the wall are a big turn off as well.

They are typical of older homes where the steel in the supports rusts, expands and causes the walls to crack.

The areas affected need to be chopped out and the rust chipped from the steel. Then the steel is treated with an anti-rust solution before the walls are refinished and painted.

Rust is insidious in our climate. Check ceiling fan blades and security screens and bars.

Leaking faucets, stains in the toilet and sink and dirty walls put people off. So do dirty baseboards, unkempt laundry rooms and window operators that don’t work.

Ask your BREA agent to inspect your home and to be brutally honest about what they see.

In many cases, you’ll be able to do all or most of the work yourself, chipping away at things room by room.

Questions? Email me at ask@cbbahamas.com.

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(Mike Lightbourn is president of Coldwell Banker Lightbourn Realty)