How to Prepare Your Home For Sale

Staging your home could help sell it quicker even in this volatile marketplace.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Time
• Imagination
• Paint
• Tools (hammer, screwdriver, pliers, etc)

1. Look around the outside of your home and remove any debris, dead plants and overgrowth.

2. Repair any broken items (wwod, shutters, door frames, shed, etc) visible to the eye.

3. Re-paint the front door using an inviting color; since it is almost the first thing visitors see when entering the house.

4. Look around the inside of the house and remove any clutter. This includes the inside of cabinets and closets where visitors will look.

5. Repair any broken hinges, light switches or burned out bulbs.

6. Re-paint the walls if necessary to give the rooms a fresh and clean look.

7. De-personalize the rooms. This means to remove any collections, family photos and pictures. Buyers want to see the home for themselves.

8. Remove any religious articles from the walls or tables. Everyone has a different religion and some prefer theirs over others.

9. Don't cook any fried foods or fish prior to a showing.

10. Keep all the lights on prior to a showing. This makes the house brighter and more desirable.

11. Use candles and soft music when having showings. Some people even bake pies or cookies to give the home that home-grown family closeness.

12. Remove all items from the counter tops and keep them free and clear. This also make the counter appear larger when not cluttered.

Tips & Warnings

• he more you de-personalize the house the easier it is for prospective buyers to see themselves in it with their furnishings.
• Disconnect and unplug computers and fax machines. You don't want to be surprised that someone might use them when touring your home.
• Never leave mail lying around fro anyone to read. Remember that identity thieves do buy houses.
• Never leave jewelry lying around. Place it in a safe and hidden location.