Maryland residential contract of sale states, “seller shall deliver possession of the property vacant, clear of trash and debris, broom clean and in substantially the same condition as existed the Date of Contract Acceptance.”
What does that mean?
While you don’t need to do a deep cleaning, it’s common courtesy to vacuum, mop, wipe down the insides of the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and dust which help alleviate problems at the final walk through. If you were the buyer you wouldn’t want to walk in and find years of someone else’s grime left in the property you’re buying!
Some reminders:
Fixtures: Anything attached to the walls other than artwork should stay which includes all light fixtures, shelves attached to the walls like floating shelves. Blinds, curtains, curtain rods and TV wall mounts were agreed upon at contract ratification so make sure you are sure before you take them with you!
Paint: If you are a seller, you aren’t legally required to repaint, however, it’s nice to patch any holes left from items such as TV mounts, artwork, etc., and it’s generally considered common courtesy to touch up the paint to cover any patches, scuffs, or nicks in the paint. However, please only use a q-tip when touching up nail/screw holes as painting areas can leave the wall patchy! Consider touching up tiny spots and marks with products such as the Mr Clean Magic Eraser. While you aren’t required to do this by law, it makes for a smother final walk through and helps avoid potential problems.
Nails – remove nails from the walls. If you put up frames, art, mirrors, or anything that requires nails, make sure to remove them. If you have time, go the extra step and spackle the with a q-tip to remove the small holes that remain. Again, please don’t leave “patches of repairs” and you aren’t required to patch the holes by law, but it’s a common courtesy many sellers undertake.
Odds and Ends – unless you’ve cleared it specifically with the other party, empty ALL your possessions from the home including any storage areas, as well as food from the fridge/freezer and empty the trash before leaving for the last time. Double check all cabinets before you leave for the last time as we often find items left behind in drawers and cabinets. Please do not assume the buyer could use your left behind items. If there are items that you would like to offer for sale or for free, please let me know ASAP so I can ASK if the buyers want the items – please do not assume they will.
Appliances – the buyer will most likely do a thorough check of all the appliances that were included with the property so make sure everything is in working condition and has been cleaned. If something is broken and needs to be fixed, let me know asap.
Buyers thoroughly check the property at the final walk through, which usually occurs the night before closing or the day of closing to make sure nothing was damaged when you moved out or stopped working between the Inspection and closing. Think of the walk through as a mini inspection. The buyer will likely test all of the appliances again, check all cabinets and drawers to make sure they are empty, test all windows again, etc. If damage did occur while moving out or between the inspection and closing, the buyers can delay closing until you fix the damage, require you to put money into escrow for the repairs to be done after closing or cancel the contract and walk away. That’s why it’s important to leave the property clean and in good condition.
Remember, the home doesn’t have to be in pristine condition, but put yourself in your buyer’s shoes; think about what would make you satisfied if you were inspecting the home after someone else has moved out.