Cleaning Your Home After Sale

Cleaning Your Home After Sale
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine]Joseph Devine

The process of preparing your home for sale can be very stressful and time consuming. Once the home has sold, many people are unsure of what steps to take before the new owners move in. People are often unsure of what condition the home should be left in and what their legal obligations are to the new buyers, repo home for sale.

Although some contracts stipulate that the home should be "swept-clean" before move-in, many sales contracts may not include any language regarding the cleanliness of the home after the sale is complete. That said, common courtesy usually suggests that the former owners should attempt to leave the home as clean as possible for the new homeowners.

At the very least, the former owners should remove all furniture from inside the home, should clean out attic spaces and closets, and should take any and all lawn furniture with them as they move out. Standard cleaning often includes:

• Carpets dry-cleaned or vacuumed to remove dust and dirt

• Kitchen and bathroom floors mopped

• Counters and sinks cleaned

• Light bulbs replaced

• Kitchen appliances cleaned

• Garage areas swept and cleaned of debris

• Locks changed or all keys turned over to the buyer

• Lawns mowed and edged

Occasionally, listing agents will pay to have a professional team clean the home to help with the sales process. Having the home thoroughly cleaned before the home is shown to the public often helps with the overall appeal of the home and may save the owners time after the sale is complete.

In the case of foreclosed homes, the original buyer is often no longer occupying the home or may be too upset with the situation to care about its condition for the next owner. Homeowners who have been foreclosed on may choose to leave personal belongings behind, leave the home dirty or unkempt, and in some cases may choose to inflict damage before leaving. In these cases, the bank may opt to have the home cleaned before the new owner moves in, or may simply sell the home "as-is". Homebuyers may occasionally include stipulation or credits into the contract to have the home professionally cleaned before they move into the home.

If you would like more information about home sales in the Austin area or if you are interested in selling your current home, visit the website of the [http://www.carvajalgroup.com]Austin real estate professionals of the Carvajal Group.

Joseph Devine

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