How to Prepare Your Home for Virtual Tours
Are you getting a home ready for virtual tours by prospective buyers? Give your home-selling clients a great resource to help sell their homes this year with these comprehensive checklists for preparing the inside and outside of the home.
Exterior of Home
Replace, repair, and/or paint
or varnish damaged:
- Plaster
- Wood siding
- Trim
- Rain gutters
- Shutters
- Window frames
- Hardware
- Glazing
- Screen doors
- Doors
- Doorbell and/or door knocker
- Fences and gates
- Walls
- Gazebos
- Fountains
- Trellises
- Planters
- Outdoor lighting
- Broken stepping stones
- Street numbers on the house
- Patch and/or reseal driveway
Clean or wash:
Landscaping tasks:
- Adjust any sprinklers; repair any broken or leaky sprinkler heads
- Straighten woodpile
- Mow and edge lawn regularly
- Aerate and feed the lawn
- Seed bare spots on the lawn
- Water lawn regularly
- Replace dead plants
- Haul away garbage
- Clean up pet droppings
- Prune overgrown shrubs
- Prune or remove greenery blocking the view from windows (unless the view is undesirable)
- Stake sagging trees and shrubs
- Weed gardens and flower beds
- Trim around the base of trees, walls, and fences
- Install fences or shrubs to hide any unsightly views
Check and/or replace light bulbs in:
- Porch lights
- Carport
- Garage
Interior of Home
All rooms:
- Remove or pull back dark curtains
- Wash lace curtains and have draperies cleaned if necessary
- Lubricate window slides (soap for wood silicon or a candle stump for metal)
- Make sure doors open smoothly
- Clean ceiling light fixtures
- Check for cobwebs
- Fix scratches on hardwood floors
- Replace worn flooring
- Replace worn carpet
- Use area rugs if needed
- Empty wastebaskets
- Make the beds
- Fluff the pillows
- Repair leaky faucets
Thoroughly clean around:
- Doors
- Windows
- Light switches
- Baseboards
- Chair rails
Kitchen:
- Remove dishes and food from visitors' sight
- Clean appliances
- Clean behind appliances
- Keep floor clean
- Clean range hood, filter, and light bulb
- Eliminate cooking odors
- Be sure outlets work
- Clean light fixtures
- Deodorize garbage disposal, dishwasher, and refrigerator
- Repair faucets
- Put fresh shelf paper in cabinets
- Organize cupboards
- Clean out under the sink
Bathrooms (keep them spotlessly clean):
- Shine mirrors
- Empty wastebaskets
- Clean shower door
- Lubricate sliding shower door
- Remove soap residue, mildew, and mold
- Remove stains from the sink, tub, and toilet
- Replace old shower curtains
- Clean tile grout
- Be sure the toilet flushes properly
- Be sure the septic tank is odor-free
- Clean and/or repair exhaust fan and heater
Storage and utility closets:
- Keep closets free of clutter
- Pack away nonessentials
- Adjust or repair sliding doors
- Lubricate sliding door hardware
- Paint, if needed
Basement:
- Eliminate any signs of dampness
- Check for and eliminate cracks
- Check heating and air conditioning unit
- Vacuum
- Replace air filter
- Clean intake vent
Garage, carport, shed:
- Keep area clean and uncluttered
- Hang up or put away tools
- Clear away any cobwebs
- Remove oil and paint stains from the floor
- Adjust tension rod on overhead garage door
- Lubricate and/or repair garage door opener unit
- Paint if needed
Laundry area:
- Clean behind washer and dryer
- Eliminate any mildew odors
Essential Tools
To help you complete these checklists, be sure to stock your toolbox with all of the essentials:
- Adjustable crescent wrench
- Adjustable pliers with locking mechanism
- Claw hammer
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Handheld level
- Heavy-duty flashlight and extra batteries
- Heavy-duty scissors
- Outdoor electrical extension cord (minimum 25 feet)
- Phillips-head screwdriver
- Power drill and drill bits
- Putty knife
- Safety goggles
- Tape measure (minimum 12 feet)
- Work gloves
- Utility knife
Download Virtual Tours Checklist
