Clean House for Sale: The Kitchen

February 5th, 2017

There are some rooms that buyers tend to key in on: Kitchen, Bath, Living room and Dining room. You may miss a small touch up here or there in the rest of the home, but these rooms are critical! Its more than just making your home attractive, it’s about increasing your ability to show and close in as little time as possible. Some of these steps are best performed by the home owner, while others, such as larger cleaning projects can be hired out. If you’d like a recommendation, please contact your Hollycreek agent. We’ve worked with several services.

Imagine it’s not yours

Almost everyone has a tendency to become accustom to familiar surroundings. The first challenge for the seller is to step back and imagine the home you’re selling is NOT your own. Walk through and make a make a cleaning list.

Time to “De-Clutter” the Kitchen.

When it comes time to clean, one of the first things to do is decide WHAT needs to be on display for your prospective buyers. If you have a “loaded” refrigerator, bulletin board or a planning desk heaped with papers and books in your kitchen, you may be comfortable with it. It is after all, your own. But for a prospective buyer, odds are pretty good that it looks like a mess.

We suggest:
Reduce the “Cluttered Fridge” to “Cleared”
Organize the Bulletin Board. It’s OK for it to look busy as long as it’s organized.
The Planning Desk will always be more inviting with minimal items that are stacked and orderly.

Use as Directed

There are a lot of cleaning materials out there. From sprays, cleansers, creams and even microfiber clothes. Regardless of WHAT materials you use, read the directions carefully to ensure safe and thorough cleaning. A surprising tip from commercial cleaners is for spray materials used on glass and multi-surface. Instead of spraying the surface, try spaying the cleaning agent into your cleaning cloth. This reduces the chance of overspray and possible staining. If you’re using microfibers cloths it will also ensure more thorough “clean”.

Top to Bottom

Because no one wants to clean the same area more often than needed, let’s take a tip from professional cleaners: Start Cleaning at the Top. In some cases that does mean the ceiling, or light fixtures. If these are open or enclosed glass globes they may need to be carefully removed for washing with a gentle detergent and dried before being returned to their place.

Check the ceiling around these fixtures as well as the upper corners of the room for cobwebs. If your room has shelves or tall cabinets, working with a vacuum first to remove anything that’s settled will help to make the rest of the job easier.

Continue your cleaning process working on higher surfaces before lower.

Kitchens can Sell the Home

Kitchens are a true focal point for many buyers. Even if your kitchen isn’t brand new and shows a little wear, its OK. Keep it clean and neat by starting with the right products.

Treat wood cabinets and doors like furniture. Wiped and polished with your preferred polish or oil cleaner are two of your better options. Remember that scents are an important trigger point for many people, use them sparingly so the buyer isn’t overwhelmed by conflicting scents.

Stainless Steel appliances are very popular and if you have them in your home you already know how durable they are! These can be a great selling feature. One challenge though is fingerprints. Stainless steel surfaces sometimes show these like a beacon! There are several products on the market to clean and prepare these surfaces.

Sinks tend to see multiple use daily. Keeping these areas free of debris is helpful. We also recommend wiping them down while still wet. This will help to remove water stains. Whether your sink is stainless or ceramic, be sure to use an appropriate cleaning solution. Those with low abrasion are recommended in order to avoid damaging the finish.

Counters come in a multitude of surfaces; Granite, Marble, Concrete, Recycled and Laminate among others.
Each has a unique look and brings a defined character to your kitchen. Look for the manufacturers instructions or contact a local supplier for recommendations on how to properly maintain these surfaces.

We’d be pleased to help you sell your current home or buy your next one! At Hollycreek Homes we take great pride in the trust so many Western New Yorkers have placed in us.
For more information, contact us at 585-400-4000.