First Impressions / General

• House exterior in good repair
• House number easy to see
• Eaves troughs, down spouts and soffits painted and in good repair
• Garage/carport clean and tidy
• Cracked or broken window panes replaced

First impressions (Depending on the season)

• Lawns cut and raked; hedges and shrubs trimmed; gardens weeded and edged
• Leaves raked; walks swept; decks and patios cleared of leaves and debris
• Snow and ice cleared; walkways sanded or salted

At the front door

• Doorbell works
• Door hardware in good repair
• Porch and foyer clean and tidy

Interior maintenance

• Cracked plaster repaired
• Chipped paint touched up
• Door knobs and cupboard latches tight
• Furnace wiped down and cleaned
• Burned out light bulbs replaced
• Squeaky doors oiled

Bathrooms

• Mirrors, fixtures and taps cleaned and polished
• Leaky taps and toilets repaired
• Seals around tubs and basins in good repair
• Floors cleaned, waste containers emptied
• Inside of cupboards and cabinets cleaned and neat
• Towels clean and matching
• Clutter put away

Kitchen

• Sinks and taps cleaned and polished
• Appliances cleaned
• Countertops cleared and polished
• Inside of cupboards & cabinets clean and neat
• Small appliances put away
• Clutter put away

Creating a buying atmosphere

• All lights turned on
• Air conditioner turned on in warm weather
• Fireplace lit in cooler weather
• Closets neat and tidy
• Hall and stairs cleared of clutter
• Drapes opened during daylight
• Background music played quietly
• Carpets freshly vacuumed

Valuables

• Valuables locked safely away or taken with you
• Objects of art or figurines situated safely out of reach or locked away