What to gather
Whatever you have on hand. If something doesn't apply to your property, skip it.
- Your mortgage payoff information or a recent mortgage statement
- Payoff details for a second mortgage or line of credit, if you have one
- Your most recent property tax bill
- Your survey, if you have one
- Your warranty deed
- HOA covenants and bylaws, if the property is in an association
- Your termite bond, if you have one
- Warranties on the property or its systems
- A floor plan, if you have one
- Records of any insurance claims over $500
- Photos of the property in other seasons
- Two keys: one for the lockbox and one for our office
Your forms
Your disclosures arrive separately for electronic signature: the Seller's Property Disclosure, the Community Association Disclosure, and the lead-based paint disclosure. Your Seller Homework is here, and the papers listed above can be uploaded here, privately, whenever you have them.
Preparing for showings
The aim is easy to name and worth the effort: less of your everyday life on display, more space and light for a buyer to imagine their own.
Throughout
- Air the house out, and address any odors from pets or smoke. Buyers notice the faintest scent.
- Clean the carpets if it has been more than a year, and polish hard floors.
- Wipe down doors, cabinets, and woodwork.
- Replace the air filters and clean the vents.
- Keep the air conditioning no warmer than 75 degrees and the heat no cooler than 70.
- A light, fresh scent is welcome. Skip anything strong or floral.
Light
- Use the brightest bulbs each fixture safely allows.
- Dust light fixtures, ceiling fans, blinds, and sills.
- Clean windows and glass doors inside and out, and leave the screens off the front of the house.
- Keep blinds and shades open, and draw curtains to the side.
Kitchen
- Clear the counters and appliance tops so the workspace reads generous.
- Clean the oven, the range, and the dishwasher seal.
- Take everything off the front and sides of the refrigerator.
- Tuck the trash can into the pantry for showings and photos.
Bathrooms
- Clean tubs, showers, sinks, and toilets, and polish the fixtures.
- Keep one or two decorative pieces on the counter and store the rest.
- Store toiletries, cleaners, the wastebasket, and the hamper out of sight.
- Remove bath rugs and lid covers.
- Refresh any worn caulk, and fix dripping faucets.
Closets, pantry, and laundry
- Thin closets and the pantry to about three-quarters full, with a little open space on each shelf.
- Organize the laundry room and keep clothes put away.
Living spaces and bedrooms
- Edit the furniture. Keep the pieces that show each room best and store the rest.
- Put away family photos and personal items, so buyers can picture their own.
Outside
- Sweep the siding and eaves of cobwebs and wasp nests.
- Keep the lawn mowed and edged, and the trees and shrubs trimmed.
- Clear the flower beds and add a few flats of fresh color.
- Keep the front entry clean, add a new doormat, and make sure the doorbell works.
- Clean the garage and sweep the floor. If items need to be stored there, keep them to one side.