1. get top dollar home seller newsletter
it’s a goodlife
the kitchen - heart of the house
ance they must absolutely have in their
spend a little… kitchen!
get a lot check your sink, pipes and faucets for
leaks. replace chipped porcelain or a rusty
• improve safety by ensur- stainless steel sink. If faucets leak, replace
ing that windows and them with an inexpensive set with a simple
doors can’t slam shut; design. if your faucets are in good condi-
fixing loose handrail on tion, this is a good time to replace the
porches, decks, and stair- washers to keep them from wearing out
ways; and removing dan- while your house is on the market.
gerous tools, sharp ob-
for heavy duty plumbing issues, call a
jects and hazardous mate-
professional plumber.
rials from the garage. the kitchen ~ it is the room that
holds the refrigerator, stove, dish- at the very least, clean the walls until
• rent a bank safe deposit washer and assorted smaller appli- they sparkle by scrubbing them with deter-
box to store cash and ances. but it is also the center around gent and a sponge. however, spending some
small valuables while your which the house revolves - a gathering extra money on a light shade of paint will
house is on the market. place, communication center, and a make the room look fresh and clean. paint
warm and cozy room to receive nour- the walls and trim. if your cabinets are dark
• if you are three or four ishment. as such it must be spotless, and out of style, paint them, too. go with
months away from market- sparkling and spacious. potential neutral colors like beige or white because
ing your house, consider homebuyers want to feel they can eat they make the room look bigger and
reseeding the lawn instead off the floor or the tops of appliances brighter.
of laying sod. reseeding even though they never would.
takes longer, but is much keep rooms bright with natural sunlight
while massive kitchen remodeling and light fixtures. keep windows clean and
less expensive than sod.
isn’t a good idea when you are prepar- curtains open. install lights over counters,
ing to put your home on the market, food preparation areas and the stove. re-
• replacing a cracked and
replacing old, inefficient appliances place light bulbs in existing fixtures and in-
broken walkway with ce-
may be a good idea. not only does this crease wattage if necessary. allow maxi-
ment stepping stones pur-
make the kitchen seem updated with- mum light to shine by cleaning anything
chased from a home im-
out a lot of work, but also the words light shines through, such as domes, shades,
provement store is an in-
"new appliance" are great selling points chandeliers, etc.
expensive but attractive
when marketing your home.
way to create a new path adding new accents instead of making
to the front door. make sure your garbage disposal is major changes will save time and money.
in good working order. if it doesn’t new handles on cabinets and drawers will
work properly, have it fixed or re- complete an updated look. if flooring is
placed. you don’t have one? have one damaged and must be replaced, opt for a
installed. many a cook has said that simple pattern no-wax floor or neutral tile.
the garbage disposal is the one appli- (continued on reverse)
512.892.9473 • www.goodlifeteam.com
1114 east cesar chavez • austin, tx 78702

2. the kitchen (continued)
when the basics are completed, invest in never leave dirty dishes in the sink for others to
good cleaning supplies and scrub every inch see.
of the kitchen. remove magnets and every- clean and store small appliances, such as food
thing else from the refrigerator door. in fact, choppers, immediately after each use. be sure to
clean out the inside as well. use a sponge and wipe down the counters and sink following each
antibacterial cleaner to scrub dirt, grease meal.
and food particles from the surfaces. unless
you have a self-cleaning oven, use oven sweep the floor daily and wipe up any spilled
cleaner to make the oven spotless inside, food as soon as it hits the tile. give the floor a
including the door. good mopping at least once a week. keep the
towel and dish cloth clean and hanging on rails. if
use antibacterial cleaner to clean the the kitchen is put back into top shape after each
stovetop and any other spot you can reach. use, it will eliminate frantic last minute efforts
clear off all counters in order to clean and to clean leftover messes.
disinfect them. replace only the items you
use every day and limit them to three. just before prospective buyers arrive to look at
the house, double-check the details. have you
remember to clean small appliances be- turned on all the lights? are the towels clean and
fore returning them to the counter or cup- hanging on a rail? do you need to give the faucets
board. everything else should be packed a quick wipe? does the garbage need to be taken
away and stored. outside? everything is ready? light a gingerbread
if your kitchen also serves as "command or vanilla smelling candle, put on some soft mu-
central" for the family, be sure to take care sic and wait for the doorbell to ring.
of this area as well. clean the phone with
antibacterial cleaner and a paper towel. re- finding the right real estate agent can make
move outdated notes from the bulletin board
or remove the entire board and store it in a
all the difference in the sale of your home...
closet. sort through items in the mail organ- critical questions to ask: what is the average length of
izer and throw out as much as possible and
time your listings are on the market?
file everything else. if you can do without the
organizer for awhile, clean out the letters
you may assume the shorter time on the market, the better.
and store it with the bulletin board. if there
but if an average length of time on the market is significantly
is an alternate space to locate your command
central, then do so. this will make the faster than the average for homes in the area, is it because
kitchen area look more organized and func- this agent is more effective or because he or she likes to
tional. low-ball the asking price in order to get homes sold more
quickly? take a look at what the original asking prices are
as long as your house is open to prospec-
tive buyers, be extra careful to keep the
for homes the agent lists versus the final sales price. this
kitchen free of dirt and clutter. wash and put ‘swing’ number tells you how effective the agent is at
away dishes, pots and pans after each meal. helping clients determine the right asking price and doing
what it takes to help them get it.
512.892.9473 • www.goodlifeteam.com
1114 east cesar chavez • austin, tx 78702