Ask any real estate agent the best action a homeowner can take to sell their home fast and for top dollar and the answer always has to do with either cleaning or repairing the home. An agent wants to sell a home that looks good. It doesn't have to be brand new, just well-cared for and clean. This makes their job so much easier.

As a homeowner, your goals should align with your agent's. Having a clean home in good repair means you can seek out top dollar when negotiating with potential buyers. You want your house to be the best-looking one out there, and your garage door can help.

1. Clean exterior

Your goal as a homeowner is to strive for good curb appeal to make your home appeal to potential buyers. Don't spend time and money creating a great sense of curb appeal while your garage door is covered in mud and coated in cobwebs. This is standard garage door maintenance. Grab a hose before every showing and keep it looking clean.

2. Clean windows

While you may have remembered to clean your home's windows before putting the house up for sale, chances are the small windows on your garage door are still pretty dirty. Give them a quick cleaning, inside and out, to help your garage put its best foot forward. 

3. Fresh paint

When a potential buyer sees peeling paint on a garage door, they immediately think that you have not stayed up to date on the routine maintenance your house needed. While it may not be a fair assessment, they will likely assume the rest of your house is in a state of disrepair and, should they make an offer, they will nit-pick every single item that comes up on the home inspection. A fresh coat of paint over the garage door, on the other hand, will make them assume that your home has been lovingly cared for and they will be excited to see the inside. 

4. Fully operational

Do not even think of putting your home on the market if your garage door is in need of repair. It needs to be fully functional with no squeaks. This means that you need to replace any broken cables, springs, or rollers and make sure the tracks are not bent. The weatherstripping should be in good shape and the sensors must be functioning properly. If you need to replace a panel due to dents, do so now before listing your home for sale. Talk to a garage door repair service for more help.

Bonus tip

Know where all your garage door openers are ahead of time. You need to turn two over at closing to the buyer by law. If you are missing one, make plans to replace it ahead of time or mark that it is missing on your disclosure paperwork.  

Having a garage door that is clean and in good repair will improve your curb appeal and, in turn, help sell your home.