STREET APPEAL: Buyers can't wait to see what's inside a well-tended model.
The importance of making a good first impression can’t be overstated. It’s easy to forget, though, when you work in the same sales center or model home every day, says Debbie Dompke, sales manager at Willow Place, a townhome community in Wheeling, Ill., built by Chicago-based Lexington Homes.
To help keep her communities looking their best, Dompke uses an extensive maintenance checklist.
Here are the items that she says should be checked every day before the sales center opens to customers:
Exterior
- Signage is well-maintained and displays accurate information.
- Landscaping is well-tended and clear of any dead plants or trash.
- Lighting works properly.
- Flags are in good condition.
- Parking lot is clean and free of trash.
- Sidewalks to sales center and model are clean and in good repair.
- Welcome mats are in place and clean.
- Entryways and outdoor living areas of models are free of debris and trash.
- Outdoor furniture is clean.
- Overhangs and porches are free of spider webs, wasp nests, and other pests.
- Paint is in good condition (no fading or peeling). Siding is secure.
Interior
- Ceiling corners and screens are free of cobwebs.
- Windows and screens are clean and in good repair.
- Walls and doors are free of fingerprints, smudges, and dings. Check for drywall
cracks, nail pops, and paint problems.
- Door and cabinetry hardware is attached securely.
- Stair rails aren’t wobbly.
- Floors are clean and in good condition. Check for torn vinyl, chipped or cracked tile, gouged or squeaky hardwood, and frayed carpet.
- All surfaces are clean and free of dead bugs.
- All lights work properly.
- Heating and air conditioning systems work properly. Check ceiling fans and vents for dust.
- Sinks and countertops are clean.
- Toilets are flushed; trash cans are empty.
- Home décor items are in place.