Are you thinking of selling your home? If so, like many of us, you may have been considering it for a while. As of early 2025, monthly sales of existing homes in the U.S. are down over 35% from January 2021*. Rising mortgage rates have increased the cost of owning a home for homeowners looking to move and new buyers entering the market.
But if the time is right for you to sell in 2025, you need to make careful investments in your property in advance. The average median home price in the U.S. is currently $415,000*, so decisions you make prior to listing can have implications in the thousands of dollars.
In her recent Forbes article, “Five Steps to Maximize Your Home’s ROI and Sell the Dream”, Megan Micco recommends homeowners “invest in aesthetics, not infrastructure” and “emphasize cosmetic appeal and space”. We couldn’t agree more.
At Spotless, we work with realtors year-round to help their clients prepare their homes for sale, and in this article we give you our realtor-tested list of exterior cleaning investments to make before putting your home on the market.
House washing
In terms of curb appeal, house washing service (also known as softwashing) offers the biggest “bang for your buck”. House washing service lifts dirt and grime off your siding, trim and gutters and brightens the overall appearance of the home. When a prospective buyer gets out of their car and sees your home for the first time, a house washing service will ensure an amazing first impression.
Before you decide to spend thousands of dollars repainting your home siding and trim, consider what a house washing service would do for your curb appeal for but a fraction of the cost.
Pressure washing high profile surfaces
You certainly do not need to power wash every hardscape on your home, but highly visible areas are worth the investment in cleaning. Do you want your potential buyer to walk up a brightly cleaned concrete driveway or one covered in mold and black streaks? What about your brick steps and front entrance area? Do they give buyers a feeling of a well-maintained home or an asset that has been neglected?
Further, power washing patios, pavers and knee walls in the rear of the home allow buyers to visualize hosting family and friends in a clean and welcoming outdoor space.
Deck washing is also worth considering for both wooden decks and composite decks. If your deck is gray, discolored or moldy, it causes potential buyers to question the age and condition of the deck. For wooden decks, you do not have to stain the deck to improve its appearance – staining is labor intensive and costly. A basic deck washing and brightening can do the trick, giving your deck a newer appearance without the heavy investment that you as the seller don’t get to enjoy the benefits of.
Buyers do not want to pay above-asking for an otherwise beautiful home that has a long list of exterior maintenance needs, so you should work with your realtor to make a list of those areas of the property that are most (1) visible and (2) grimy, then prioritize those for pre-sale power washing service.
Window washing service
According to a survey published by Money Magazine, window washing is the highest return on investment you can make before a home sale. The survey estimated that for every $100 spent on window washing, sellers earned almost $800 in additional value for the home sale!
Our experience working with realtors bears this out. Pre-sale window cleaning service is the most common request we receive from realtors in Richmond, VA.
If your home has a lot of windows and whole home window washing seems too expensive, consider hiring a professional window cleaning service for certain areas of the home. For instance, a first floor only window cleaning will ensure that prospective buyers enjoy crystal clear views while touring the living room, kitchen and dining room, areas of your home where the new homeowner will spend most of their waking hours.
For extra dirty windows, make sure you have the windowsills thoroughly cleaned as well. Dirty windowsills can make a huge difference in the buyer’s perception of the age and overall condition of your windows.
Don’t let spider webs, debris, streaks, and water spotting diminish a potential buyer’s impression of your home’s exterior views! Invest a few hundred dollars in professional window washing service and let the sunlight into your open house.
Conclusion: Estimated 750% to 1,000% ROI for thoughtful exterior cleaning work
External surveys and Spotless’ own multi-decade experience with realtors indicate that exterior cleaning is low hanging fruit for maximizing your home sale outcome. We believe that the average return on investment for the right exterior cleaning services is between 750% and 1,000%, which means that $1,000 of thoughtful investment in exterior cleaning could yield up to an additional $10,000 in sale proceeds on your home.
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If you’re not sure which areas of your home to prioritize for pressure washing and window washing, talk with your realtor or call us today at 804-231-0749 and we can arrange for a free consultation with one of our estimators to help get your home ready for its big day.
*FRED data.
