When most sellers are preparing their homes for sale, they will consider a wide variety of factors to maximize the perceived value of their property in the eyes of buyers. They may paint the front of the home or modify the landscaping to improve curb appeal, or they may even replace the kitchen appliances with state of the art stainless steel varieties. These improvements certainly can add to the appeal of any property, but they can be very expensive. There is, however, one fairly minor thing that a seller can do to maximize the price that their property will fetch and cost but a mere fraction of new appliances or revamping the front yard: A thorough maid service cleaning of the home.
These days people are becoming more and more conscious of the necessity for hygiene, and a buyer can be completely turned off from a property that they would have otherwise seriously considered by the slightest hint of dirt or grime. To clean a home that has been lived in for many years to the immaculate standards of a brand new show home is a task best left to the professionals. For a couple of hundred dollars you will likely be able to find a well-referenced local maid service which will clean, scrub, and polish your home to a fine sheen. A thorough and professional maid service will go the extra step to making sure that your house sparkles, all the way from moving all the furniture to clean otherwise covered walls and flooring, to carefully cleaning around sink fixtures with toothbrushes.
After all the time you've spent in your home, you've likely collected ample amounts of clutter. It may not just be limited to stuff piled up in closets, but also may extend to counter tops, drawers, shelves, attics, garages, and basements: virtually every surface in the house. Cabinets and drawers in the bathroom and kitchen should be almost empty and what is in there meticulously placed to avoid the look of chaos. Pantries and closets should feature shelving where everything is strictly and logically organized. Even the inside of your fridge should be sparse and properly arranged.
Most buyers like to see clean, open, minimalist spaces, so before your maid service arrives get rid of absolutely everything that you can possibly force yourself into disposing of, or packing away. Sellers tend to be myopic about these situations as they are emotionally attached to their possessions, so it's a good idea to have an impartial friend or better yet your real estate agent guiding you into what amount of clutter simply has to go.
That catch-all area underneath bathroom and kitchen sinks is one of the primary tell tale spots that buyers love to look in. Get rid of all those half filled bottles of cleaner, rusty scouring pads, and mouldy dishrags. Make sure that the maid service cleans away any semblance of water or rust stains all the way up to underneath the sink bowl. You'll be surprised how many buyers inspect that particular area! If there is a particular plumbing fixture that simply cannot be cleaned well enough, then replace it! It's only a few dollars and it will make a world of difference. Buyers can be counted on turning water on and off, flicking switches, trying door handles, and generally ensuring that everything in the house looks and works as good as new. Any one small failure, such as a light switch that doesn't work or a tap that drips, can cost you a sale.
The fairly small investment you will make in a professional maid service and the attention to the tiny details that mean so much to buyers will almost always equate in selling your home for thousands more and days faster. It's a step every home seller should take.