Selling a home is like starting a new relationship, first impressions count. By doing some preparation up front you can make your home more appealing to potential home buyers. If you don’t want to do it yourself you can hire the services of professionals to help get your home ready to sell. For the most part getting your home ready to sell is simple and should not take much more than a weekend to get ready. Of course that depends upon the current condition of your home.

Beautify the Exterior of Your Home

When a buyer is driving down your street to view your home the first thing they are going to see is your yard and the exterior of your home. First impressions count because if the outside is not well maintained they may assume the inside is the same way and keep on driving. They may also determine at that point that your asking price is to high and if they decide to buy offer you less money. Here are some quick things you can do to spruce up the outside of your home:

• Keep the grass mowed and watered


• Trim overgrown trees and shrubs


• Add a little color by planting flowers


• Remove any trash or debris from your yard and curb


• Hose down the exterior of your home


• Clean the windows and doorways

Clean and Make the Interior Cozy

Getting a potential buyer inside your home is a good thing. You have made a good first impression and now it is time to sell your home. The inside of your home should give the potential home buyer the feeling that this is a cozy place where memories are made. Here are some steps you can take to accomplish this:

• It goes without saying but CLEAN the inside of your home


• Have the carpets cleaned and remove any pet smells


• Rid the corners of spider webs


• Get rid of clutter and unnecessary furniture


• Paint the interior if it needs it


• Organize closets and pack what you don’t need


• Spray a nice smelling fragrance

Make Necessary Home Repairs

As a potential home buyer inspects your home they are going to be opening up doors, cupboards, and giving your home a good look. Usually minor repairs aren’t a deal killer but it does leave an impression. There are many types of things that can be quickly and easy fixed around your home, such as:

• Patch any holes in the walls


• Replace or fix damaged doors


• Remove or replace peeling wall paper


• Tighten fixtures and faucets


• Replace burnt out light bulbs


• Replace broken vent covers


• Oil squeaky and sticky doors

Get a Second Opinion

Now that you have done the cleaning and necessary repairs ask a friend to inspect your home and see if anything jumps out at them. A fresh pair of eyes can go along way. Many of the above items may seem minor but to a home buyer it can stand out like a sore thumb and end up knocking thousands off the offer. Maximize your return by preparing your home the best you can.

View all Jason Deines's articles

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