First impressions are lasting impressions. You will want to make sure that buyers comparing your home to others are left with the best possible impression.

Exterior

• House exterior in good condition
• House number easy to read
• Eaves, down spouts and soffits in good condition
• Garage/carport clean and tidy
  Litter picked up
• Cracked or broken window panes replaced
• Lawns and landscaping cut and trimmed, garden weeded and edged
• Walks swept, doorbell and door hardware in good condition
• Porch and lanai clean and tidy
• Replace burned out light bulbs
• Pool, spa and deck cleaned
• Torn screens repaired or replaced
• Visible mold on sidewalks, decks and walls removed

Home facelifts worth the price -The top 8 renovation projects and their average potential return on investment:

Interior

• All window treatments open and lights turned on
• Soft music in background
• Damaged drywall and paint touched up and repaired
• Doors and cabinet doors properly closed
• Leaky taps and toilets repaired
• Burned out light bulbs replaced
• Squeaky doors oiled
• Mirrors, fixtures, and taps cleaned and polished
• Seals around tubs and shower stalls in good condition
• Floors cleaned, garbage containers emptied
• Inside of closets and cabinet neat and tidy
• Appliances cleaned
• Countertops neat and clear of clutter, especially in the kitchen area
• Air conditioner turned on in warm weather
• Fresh air in house
• Halls and stairs cleaned
• Carpets freshly vacuumed
• Fresh flowers in various rooms
• Jewelry and valuables locked safely away or taken with you
• Valuable property, such as objects of art, vases and figurines out of reach, out of sight, or locked away
• Pets absent, where possible, or contained during the showing, and litter boxes clean
• If you are a smoker, there are many things you can do to ease on the smell of smoke