When my husband and I were house hunting for a home in Jacksonville some years back, we started to notice a trend.  The cleanest houses always made it to the top of our list!  Shortly after when we decided to rent out our home in Louisiana and become landlords for the first time, the tenant we chose won us over when she proudly announced, “I’m a clean freak!”. We knew that she would help protect the value of our biggest investment – our home.  Recently when I asked several Davidson Realty Agents, each and every one of them confirmed what I suspected all along: Clean homes show better, sell faster and command higher prices. 

As a cleaning professional and owner of CottageCare® Jacksonville, here are my tips for getting your home sparkling clean before you list it for sale.

1. Start at the entryway where visitors first step inside your home.  This first impression is crucial. Make sure the basics are covered, the floor is washed or vacuumed, furniture is polished and the clutter is gone.  But also look up.  If there’s an overhead lighting fixture, dust it and clean the glass.  Dust the coffers and corners. Now look down.  Make sure those baseboards are clean and bright.  Wipe marks off walls.  Make the entryway perfect! It sets the tone for the rest of the house and tells homebuyers “Welcome to a clean, well-maintained home.”
2. Wash windows. Bright natural light is a great mood enhancer and always a positive.
3. Clean floors, baseboards and windowsills throughout your home.
4. Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms.  Kitchens should be de-cluttered, fresh-smelling and immaculate – that includes the top of the refrigerator, cabinets moldings, stove hoods, inside the microwave, etc.  Bathrooms will probably take most of your time. Besides the obvious, make sure the grout is spotless, including the floor grout, around the tub and in the shower.  Yes, this will take lots of effort, but a sparkling bathroom is worth it!
5. Finally, clean around every wall switch, door handle and other places people come in direct contact with your home.  Fingerprints and smudges often go overlooked when you’ve lived in a house for awhile, but someone “dating” your house to see if it’s the perfect match for them, will be sure to notice every detail.

Amanda and Daniel Houser are owners of CottageCare® Jacksonville.  CottageCare® Inc. is a leader in the housecleaning business. Backed by a 100% money-back Guarantee (*hourly and vacant cleanings excluded), CottageCare® has been providing customers “Freedom from Housework™” for over 35 years and is comprised of locally owned and operated individuals.
E-Mail Contact2012@cottagecare.com or call 904-638-5676 for a waiting representative to field your call or click on http://www.CottageCare.com.

CottageCare® Jacksonville
(Servicing Duval & St Johns counties)
8280 Princeton Square Blvd W. Ste#6
Jacksonville, FL 32256
Pricing Information:  904-638-5676
Office:  904-900-1777
Fax:  904-900-1778
Email:  houser4houses@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/#!/cottagecare.jacksonvilleflorida