Clean the heat & air vents: Look up! Are your intake vents hairy? Look down! Are your floor vents rusty? Either of these things make a potential buyer question how well your home has been maintained. Change the filters & vacuum the intake vents. Buy a can of Rustoleum spray paint, remove old or rusted vents to the backyard & make them look new again.

Scrub the toilet: Clean the toilet like you’ve never cleaned it before! Yes, there are buyers that will actually stop to lift the lid and think better or worse of your home on that one look. Make the bowl shine, scrub under the seat & at the joints, dust the base. If it looks worn, replace the seat with an inexpensive new one from a hardware store.

Dust the baseboards & crown molding: You’ve made the bed, vacuumed the carpet, scrubbed the tile. Take a hard look at the baseboards. Are they dusty? Do you have cobwebs on your crown molding? Try to look at it as if you’ve never seen it before.

For more helpful tips, read this article from Zillow & Yahoo: 5 Biggest Turnoffs When Touring a Home. Please call or email me today to help you prep & market your home for a quick sale!

Whether you are renovating your existing home, or designing a new one, consider making a place for your pup: to sleep, to conveniently be washed, or to fit his crate without taking up floor space. Here are five creative design ideas to get you started, from Houzz.com:

Dog Crate Cabinetry, by Crown Point Cabinetry (www.crown-point.com).

Dog crates can take up so much floor space!  Building space for the crates into kitchen cabinetry keeps them conveniently out of the walking path, and keeps pup close to family activity.

Dog Bed in the Dining Room, by RLH Studio (www.rlhstudio.com)

Where does your puppy want to be during dinner time? Begging right next to your chair! Teach your dog good manners, by giving him his own space near the dinner table. An extra tip: if you create this space the right size to fit a standard baby crib mattress, you can fit it with a $35 crib mattress from any discount store, and cover it with easily washable crib sheets. Much less expensive & easier to clean than the standard dog bed or custom cushion!

Dog Shower, by Kallwit Graham Architecture (www.kga.ca)

Rain rain, go away! Muddy dog feet make a huge mess! And trying to get a muddy pup into your bath or shower without making a bigger mess is nearly impossible. Solve it with this convenient dog shower in your laundry or mud room, with a handheld shower head. Notice the towel & leash rack, and the shelf ledge for doggie shampoo.

Outdoor Dog Shower & Doggie Door, by Phil Kean Designs (www.philkeandesigns.com)

Here is an outdoor version of the shower, plus a convenient doggie door. Wouldn’t it be great if the doggie door led into a spacious indoor kennel? That way pup could be safe in the climate controlled indoors, and let himself out to potty, but not lolling all over the couch while you are at work.

Dog Friendly Laundry Room, by Echelon Custom Homes (www.echeloncustomhomes.com)

This design combines the convenient tiled dog shower, towel rack & shelf above, with the under cabinet space for a dog bed or crate.

If you are ready to find a new home for your pooch & the rest of the family, please contact me today! Ready to sell your home? I am a dog-friendly realtor & can look out for your fur-baby, big or small, for easy showings. Thanks for taking the time to read this article… please share!