1. You only have one chance to make a good first impression. 

By applying as many of the ideas below as possible, you will create an incredible first impression that will impress all potential buyers that come to preview your home. Keep in mind that the way you live in a home and the way you sell a home are very different. By taking the time to show your home in its best light possible, you will maximize your dollars and guarantee a quicker sale.

Your home looks great to you, but a buyer wants to see it as he and his family will be living in it -- so take fresh look at your home. Hop in your car, drive around the block, and then scrutinize your home as a prospective buyer will see it for the first time. First, consider what's called "street appeal;" does it need washing or painting? Does the driveway need repair work? Is the landscaping in good shape? Remember, be very critical; your buyer will be.

Next, pull into the driveway and take a good, hard look. Is the yard neat and trimmed? Are the flower beds weed free?  Trim the shrubs that are overgrown. They should be lowered to a height near the bottom of the windows. If there is ivy growing on the side of the home, remove it. Prune any tree branches high enough so that you can walk under the tree.  Invest in a few flats of flowers such as petunias or periwinkles that will last the entire growing season. They will add color and beauty to the front of your home.

What about the view from the front yard? Is the front door in good condition? Be sure it’s scrubbed and has a fresh coat of paint if necessary. Wash the mail box. Keep the porch swept. Get an attractive mat for people to wipe their feet.  Keep children’s toys out of the front yard and off the sidewalks and front porch.

Then, walk inside and size up the interior as though seeing it for the first time; Most buyers decide within the first 5 feet of your home whether they like the house.  Take a tour and imagine what your real estate agent might say about each room, look into cabinets, open doors, check out the bathroom.

Then, make a mental note of the things that might put off potential buyers, along with another list of the things that first attracted you to the dwelling.  Air out the home. You are the last person to notice any peculiar odor in your home that may be blatantly obvious to visitors. 

2. Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start to Sell

Before putting your home on the market, get rid of clutter in every area -- closets, attic storage, kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities, shelves -- everywhere. Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if you don't use it, lose it. Potential buyers are seriously put off by clutter, and most of us drag a lot more things through life than we really need.  Make sure all kitchen counter tops are free from clutter and knick-knacks.  Remove all magnets and photos from refrigerator. 

Also, don't forget the furniture and fixtures when getting rid of clutter -- most of us put too much in too little space, which makes a buying prospect think your home is too small.  Minimize family photos and remove collections.  You want the buyer to remember the features of your home, not your personal possessions.

Have a great moving sale with all the stuff you've collected and use the proceeds for paint or whatever other materials you need for repair projects. If you just can't bear to part with some possessions, store them in the attic or some other place that's out of sight to a potential buyer.  Pack up your valuables or irreplaceable items where they won’t be damaged or lost.

3. To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean, Clean, Clean

After you've cleared out the clutter, it's time to really clean. Have the carpets professionally cleaned, strip and polish the floors.  Bathrooms help sell homes - make this room sparkle, go over the laundry room, polish the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash the windows, clean or dust the window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen appliances. While you’re at it, clean the window seals and the bottom of the window jambs.  In short, clean everything.

Don't forget the exterior; paint or pressure wash everything that needs the work. Remove all spider webs leaves and dead bugs in corners.  Keep steps clear of hazards and clutter. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation clean-up project.

4. Get More for Your Home: Repairs Pay Off

After you've cleaned your home thoroughly, the next project is making all the repairs necessary to attract a buyer.

Patch up the roof, touch up all the paint ($20.00 worth of paint now will reap you more money in the sales price), repair the screens, spruce up the porch framing, and make your entry area really shine. Remove dated wallpaper in the entry, kitchen and baths if necessary. Replace dated window treatments and ugly or out of style light fixtures. 

Don't forget to water the lawn and landscape beds, and take the time to trim, mow, edge and get rid of sick or dying plants. Inside, fix the grout in the bathrooms and on tile floors, adjust any doors that need it, fix any scratches on the walls, cover any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing problems. Remember, do what your home needs before the first buyer appears at your door.

There is, however, an alternative to the sweat equity you get from a total fix-up --but it carries a price. An "as-is" sale keeps you from doing all this work, but a buyer will assess about twice the price you would have paid for the repairs. Then, the buyer will deduct that amount from your asking price before making an offer.

5. Putting Your Home on the Market: Show It to Sell It

After you've, cleaned, shined, mowed, and generally whipped your property into shape, it's time to attract a buyer.  Whenever the home is going to be shown, open the blinds, have soft music playing and turn on the lights. The potential buyers will feel a glowing warmth when you turn on all your lights for a showing, day or evening. Replace dim bulbs with bright lights.  Buyers like “bright and cheery” -- Illumination is like a welcome sign. A few drops of vanilla dripped on a light bulb will give off the inviting scent of fresh baked cookies.

Wash & put away the dishes, straighten up newspapers, make the beds, straighten bath towels and put away laundry.  Get the teenagers and children to understand the importance of keeping the house looking good while it is on the market.

Also, open all the interior doors to make the home appear more roomy. Be sure to remove all your kids and pets -- they're cute, but a prospect wants to see your home, not your pride and joy. In addition, make sure you pet's litter pan is clean so the home smells clean and fresh, not like air freshener. Many buyers are allergic to pets, keep the pet hair vacuumed up.  Remember, you need to make sure your home is available to be seen by a prospective buyer with as little notice as possible. That means less than an hour, or even five minutes, if possible. Never, never, never turn away a Realtor with buyers that want to see your home.  They won’t buy what they haven’t seen, and if they see another house that fits their needs, they won’t come back to yours. 

Leave the house during showings, even if it’s not convenient.  Buyers will feel like an intruder if you are home and hurry through the house.  With you gone, they will feel free to open closet doors and visualize their furnishings in the home.  If the buyer or Realtor has questions, they can be answered during follow up phone calls.

Never apologize for appearance. It either distracts or accentuates the problem.  Don't discuss anything concerning the sale with a potential customer. Let the Realtors® negotiate price, terms, possession and other factors concerning the sale to a favorable conclusion.

6. Get a Sense of the Market

Before you put your home on the market, take a weekend day to check out the competition: homes with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods. You don't have to go out and buy new furniture just to look like that beautiful new model in the new development -- what you want is the feel of that new model -- clean, uncluttered, and fresh.

Remember, after location, the most important item a buyer is a well-maintained home. Many flaws can be overlooked if the buyer knows he can move in without a lot of trouble and expense.

7. List With The Best

Selling in today’s real estate market requires more that just placing a sign in the yard.  You deserve the services of the best Realtor® when you sell your home. Leslie’s unique and aggressive 22 point marketing plan is designed to expose your home to the maximum number of qualified buyers, targeting the right buyer for your home.  You’ll receive her extensive staging expertise to give your home the “showing edge” it needs to bring in the best and highest offers.

Seller Improvements That Pay Off

A recent study from Hanley-Wood, LLC, the publisher of Remodeling Magazine, points out what improvements have the best return for the monies spent.

·             Kitchen remodels will return 82% of their estimated cost.

·             A new bathroom addition will return 72%.

·             A bathroom remodeling will return 71%

·             Adding a family room will return 71%.

·             The addition of a master suite will return 68%.

·             The addition of a deck will return just 54%.

·             A new home office will return 51% when the home is sold.