How to Prepare Your Home for Sale

Real-estate agents have a saying: "The way you sell your home is not the way you live in it." Try to look at your home through the eyes of a potential buyer when you're preparing it for sale. The hard part? Keeping the house spotless day after day for prospective buyers who may show up on a half-hour's notice.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Maximize your home's curb appeal. Feed, mow and water your lawn regularly. Plant colorful annual flowers near the door, and make sure you weed and trim the rest of your garden. Wash the windows and pick up any trash.
2. Perform any needed repairs on the interior or exterior of your home. Fix, paint or cosmetically enhance anything that might hinder a sale.
3. Declutter all rooms to make them look and feel larger (see 1 Get Organized and 37 Conquer Clutter). Also, clear out the closets so they look roomier.
4. Clean the oven, stove, refrigerator, exhaust fan and kitchen sink very thoroughly--and keep them clean. Clear the kitchen counters of items you don't use daily.
5. Replace the toilet seat and shower curtain. Clean the bathroom thoroughly and hang fresh towels every day.
6. Send your pets to camp. You love 'em, but your potential buyers may be afraid or allergic (see 77 Safeguard Your Home Against Allergens). Deal with pest problems, such as mice, fleas and flies.
7. Vacuum your carpets, or have them professionally cleaned. Clean and polish all smooth floors.
8. Fix ripped window screens. Replace cracked or broken panes, and make sure all windows open, close and lock smoothly.
9. Patch any holes or cracks in the walls and ceilings. Give them a fresh coat of paint in a neutral color such as off-white. (Be sure you allow enough time for paint to dry so the house doesn't have that fresh-paint smell.)
10. Have your house professionally staged (see StagedHomes.com for local sources). This will cost you, but staging a home aesthetically can shorten the time to sale and boost the bidding.
11. Keep the garage door closed, no matter how spiffed up your garage is.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider hiring a professional for yard care or housecleaning until your house sells. The dollars you spend on curb appeal will often come back through a higher sale price.
• Some homeowners choose to rent a storage unit while their house is on the market, putting in some of their extra furniture and other belongings. Don't just pile stuff in the garage--buyers will want to inspect that, too.
• Put brighter bulbs in all your lamps. Turn them on, even in the daytime, to brighten the house.
• Give up smoking. You probably can't smell it, but your house reeks of smoke. Have drapes, curtains, upholstery and carpets professionally cleaned. If you decide to continue smoking, do it outside-- and don't leave an unsightly bucket of butts next to a door.