Selling Your Desert Home continued...

Garages usually have a pretty hard life, and they don't often get much attention in the way of maintenance or improvement. Most often, after a few years of regular use, a garage will need a complete repainting. It's one of the easiest 'rooms' to do this to, but don't do it if it doesn't need it. Be sure to check the door going into the house – these are often quite scuffed up and/or dented from the type of use they get. Painting just the door is a breeze. (Whenever you are going to paint, it's a very good idea to first go through the room with a container of premixed latex joint compound or spackling, and a putty knife. Fill in dents, cracks or holes and smooth over them with a damp putty knife blade. After the compound dries, use some 220 grit sandpaper to quickly and easily smooth them. Be gentle with the sandpaper, and mind the dust! This is a fast, easy operation that makes a very substantial difference in the final appearance of the room.)

Now for the garage floor… Grease and oil spotting and stains can be dramatically reduced simply by putting some cheap, dry absorbent matter on the spots and leaving it there for a few days. This is available at any hardware store and is very effective. If you have cracks, consider one of the many types of fillers available. If the floor is really bad, you might consider washing it with a proper mixture of etching acid and then painting it. Be sure to do this properly or the paint will very quickly bubble and peel off – maybe even before you get the house sold!

Make sure you have no overworked electrical outlets in the garage. If you do, unplug a few things you don't use all the time. While you're at it, make sure all the duplexes work properly. Receptacles do wear out or get broken, and require replacement on occasion. Also, many people remove the cover plates for duplexes in their garage. If you've done this, clean and replace them. A garage is also a good place to consider removing and washing all of the receptacle and switch covers.

A very nice touch to any home is a well marked fuse panel – which is often in the garage. It doesn't take very long to do this, and it will come in handy while you're working on the house. It also makes a good impression on potential buyers. An easy way to mark the box metal is with a Sharpie indelible pen.

If your hot water heater, water purification/softening system, or parts of your heating and cooling system are in the garage, this is a good time to check them cosmetically. Sometimes rust stains happen or mold or mildew. Make a note to get it all removed or cleaned up. In the dusty desert environment of Tucson, Arizona – it's never too soon to change the air filter in these either!

And now for smell… Garages, because of the things that are often done in them, frequently do not have the most appealing of scents. There are many fixes for this – pick a suitable one. When you are showing the house, be sure noisy garage systems are shut down. This would include water treatment devices, compressors, pumps, etc.

Now, go to the door through which perspective buyers will enter your home and walk inside. Try to see it anew – like the buyers will. Does the door squeak? (Remember "hear no evil.") Do the springs or pneumatic closer on a screen door slam it shut too hard, or fail to close the door behind you? Is the door clean? Is the screen clean? Does the door stick? Is the doorknob tight? Clean? Is the sealant in good condition? Do the locks work smoothly and efficiently? Are there any cobwebs on that decorative knocker that's never touched?

What grabs your attention first as you enter the house? Whatever it is, does it make a positive first impression? This is a good thing to remember as you enter each and every room. One thing that is often overlooked is windows. When you enter a particular room at a particular time of day, does the sun come glaring in and hit the doorway. Those blinds or curtains may need to be shut for those times of day. Buyers do not like walking into a room and being struck by painfully bright sunlight – something that is common in Tucson homes.

Following is a list of general things to check in each room. Sure, it takes time – and more time, when necessary, to affect repairs. But if you keep that balance intact, it is time well (and profitably) spent. "Specialty rooms" require a few extra checks, but those will be dealt with at the end of this general rooms checklist.

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