In todays competitive real estate market successful realtors know that a good first impression is really important and curb appeal helps sell homes. Many homeowners who are in the process of selling their home often get a list of suggested improvements from their realtor that will help show the home better and sell it faster.

Window cleaning and pressure washing are usually close to the top of that list because they add instant curb appeal and have a very high return on investment. Getting your outside surfaces pressure cleaned invites potential buyers outside to visualize how they might use the space. When they are left dirty there’s a good chance they will stay inside and just look out from inside. Having clean windows also gives the potential buyer the perception that the home has been properly taken care of as they take a look around.

Here’s some benefits to getting your house pressure washed or having your windows cleaned when selling your home:

  •  Invites potential buyers into a room or space
  •  Pictures look better online
  •  Gives the perception of proper maintenance
  •  Increases curb appeal
  •  Return on investment is very high

When looking for your new house keep the homes current windows in mind as you walk through. If they’re dirty when you attend an open house there’s a good chance there could be some other hidden health hazards around the house as well. Inside your house, windows, as well as their sills and tracks, act as magnets for indoor air pollutants. Allergens such as dust, pollen, pet dander and even insect feces are just a few airborne pollutants that are floating around the air inside your home. These are known to aggravate allergies and asthma and even lead to chronic respiratory problems down the road.

There are also a host of bacteria and molds that tend to lurk in warm, dark, moist places—these usually accumulate inside the tracks of your windows and sliding doors. Then when you open them (even if it’s weeks or months later), they can be blown all over your house.

If you or your family have allergies it might be a good idea to get the air quality in the house tested before you make the decision to purchase.  A number of homeowners have told us they’ve had such bad allergies and couldn’t figure out why after being in their new home.  When they removed or cleaned all the window treatments left from the previous owner the allergies went away. Many times pet dander, pollen and dust cling to the drapes, blinds or shutters causing an ongoing problem for people with allergies and asthma.

If you get overwhelmed from the suggestions your realtor gives you don’t panic.  Many times your realtor will have a handful of service contractors they can refer you to to do the work for you. Hiring a professional window cleaner and pressure washer will save you a huge amount of time and aggravation of trying to do it yourself.   It could make the difference between selling quickly or having it sit on the market for months on end.