Cleaning
Give the whole house a good cleaning from top to bottom. Don't forget small things such as blinds, window sills, and closets. Removing all clutter will make the house seem larger and brighter. Removing personal items that attach you to the house can be helpful. This makes the home feel more inviting to potential buyers. Even removing everyday items (coffee pots, cooking machines, decorations) can help with making the home more attractive. Larger homes may need the assistance of hiring a cleaning agency. The organization of closets and counter space will give the house a clean look. Replacing dingy curtains and blinds can make any room stand out.
Cleaning Tips:
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Look out for leaky faucets/showerheads and address any with an issue.
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Larger houses may want to hire a professional cleaning service.
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Hold a garage sale to help de-clutter.
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Clear out closets and organize kitchen countertops.
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Replacing dingy curtains and cleaning blinds.
Painting
Painting is a cost-effective way to bring out that new home shine. Painting dark colored walls a neutral color can give them a warm feeling. Before painting, you want to make sure you remove any nail/screw holes and sand them down. Also, you want to check for any discolored drywall that potentially needs to be replaced. Replacing the baseboards is usually not recommended unless they are in extremely bad shape. Most likely you can reuse the baseboards with a new coat of paint or finish to bring them back to life.
Painting Tips:
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Sand down holes in drywall and fill them.
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Paint a neutral color with no strong colors.
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Replace any old or wet drywall.
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Paint/Finish baseboards depending on condition.
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If the tile is present, replace any cracked pieces.
Carpets & Hardwood floor
Inspecting the home's flooring is very important when selling your home. Hiring a carpet cleaning service helps tremendously and is recommended when getting the house "show ready". Fixing warped or buckled wood in wood floors rather than replacing the entire floor can be a cost-effective alternative.
Tips:
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Don't replace the entire floor unless it is too bad to fix.
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Hiring an expert to clean the floor is recommended versus doing it yourself.
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Shine hardwood floors.
Windows
Replacing windows can be very expensive and is usually not recommended unless the windows are extremely old or in very poor condition. You want to check the windows and make sure there are no cracks in the glass or around the trim that may cause future leaking issues. It is a good idea to clean the windows inside and out. Many newer windows can be totally removed for this purpose.
Quick Tips:
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Try adding caulk around trim pieces that have cracked away from the wall.
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Adding new blinds can add some value to prospective buyers.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is a very important room when it comes to showing your house to potential buyers. A clean, well organized kitchen can sometimes be the closing factor. If a kitchen is in need of major repair you really need to sit down with your agent and discuss what will work best for you. If there are any hard water stains around sinks, your favorite home improvement store should sell some CLR or iron out that will remove the stain. Check every faucet in the house to make sure none are leaking or could potentially leak in the near future. Changing cabinet knobs and adding a fresh coat of paint is an inexpensive way to update the kitchen.
Quick Tips:
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Remove hard water stains around faucet and disposal.
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Replacing curtains and buying "show towels" (towels you place out when showing the house).
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Fix any leaky faucets in the kitchen.
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Make sure kitchen appliances work properly.
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Remove any clutter from kitchen countertops.
Final Steps
Finally, you want to take a walk through in the house after you have completed most of the repairs that you feel necessary. Double-check anything that you think could be a future issue. Lastly getting the inside of the house "show ready" should be done. You want to make sure the house stays clean. Every few weeks a refresher should be done. Going through the house and removing cobwebs, sweeping, and maintaining landscaping.