How to Sell Your Home Fast

I sold my house in TWO weeks, and this is how:

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. First, find a realtor. They can give you an objective opinion on different things that may need to be done to your home to make it sellable. A realtor isn't necessarily required, and it is more expensive, but in the long run it makes it easier.

2. Clean! I can't stress this more. Even when you think your house is spotless, clean again. We get used to things looking a certain way in our own homes and sometimes fail to recognize the obvious...like fingerprints on light switches, and dusty light fixtures.

3. Get rid of odors; don't just mask them. Masking a smell will make some buyers curious as to what you're covering up. If you have pets, this may mean putting them in a kennel for a while, or leaving with a friend or relative. Although you may not notice a pet smell, as most pet owners who meticulously clean don't, it is obvious to people who don't own animals.

4. This goes along with the last step, but I thought this one deserved a step of it's own. DO NOT SMOKE IN YOUR HOME!!! Now, when I went house shopping I was a smoker, but when I walked into someones home who smoked indoors, I was disgusted. Not only does it make a house smell bad, it stains the walls and the ceiling.

5. De-clutter, organize, and depersonalize. You may love your fifty beanie babies that adorn the shelves in your living room, but not very many buyers will find this appealing. Take them down, and pack them away. Clean off your fridge, and take all the magnets off. Put away kitchen appliances that are not used daily. Remember, house seekers are looking to buy your space, not your stuff. Less is more, so amplify counter space.

6. Clean your bathroom WELL. No one wants to see hair in your sink, or a grimy shower. It should go without saying that some things are just plain gross.

7. If your carpets are bad, get them cleaned. If they will not clean up, and you don't have the option to replace them, you can always add a carpet allowance option in the contract.

8. Make sure everything works. Very few people buy homes just to fix them up. Most home buyers want houses that are move in ready.

9. Price your home appropriately. Just because you think your home should be worth more than comparables in your area, doesn't mean other people will. Be realistic and you're less likely to be disappointed.

10. It's important to make sure your home is ready for viewing at all times. What I mean by that is to always have it at least ten minutes away from spotless. It is inconvenient to say the least, especially when you have children. But you don't want to miss a potential sale because you didn't feel like straightening up.

11. Home buyers prefer to look at homes when the sellers are not there. So be ready to clear out at a moments notice. When we were selling our home, buyers always seemed to want to take a walk through around dinner time. We ate out a lot. It wasn't too much to go have a nice dinner...plus it saved us the clean up.

12. It's important to focus on first impressions. Make sure the first room buyers walk into is inviting.

13. Updated kitchens and bathrooms get a big plus. Shoot for granite counter tops, and stainless steel appliances.

14. Last but not least, don't stress too much if it doesn't sell right away. It might just take time for the right seller to find your home. Just because your home hasn't appealed to everyone, doesn't mean it won't appeal to someone. After all, it appealed to you.