Tips on Preparing Your Home for Sale
First and foremost, your home's exterior should be as attractive and inviting as possible. If the outside looks good, people will more than likely want to see what's on the inside. Keep the lawn and landscape nicely manicured. Trim the bushes and if possible, plant some flowers. Be sure your front door area is warm and welcoming. Examine your exterior trim work for any needed painting and maintenance.

Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. They should look as clean, bright, and fresh as possible. Eliminate clutter and create as much open counter space as possible. It is essential for them to be clean and odor free. A fresh coat of paint just may do the trick. Have any leaky faucets taken care of. A call to a plumber is a wise investment.

Any offensive odors must be removed and replace with pleasing aromas. To eliminate bad smells, bathe your pets, freshen the cat litter box frequently, shampoo your carpets, dry clean your drapes, and empty trash cans, recycling bins and ash trays. Place open boxes of baking soda in smell-prone areas, and refrain from cooking fish or strong-smelling foods. Introduce pleasing smells by placing flowers or potpourri in your home and using air fresheners. Baking a fresh or frozen pie or some other fragrant treat is another common tactic.

Since you want your home to look as spacious as possible, remove any excess or very large furniture. Make sure that table tops, dressers and closets are free of clutter. Don't use your garage, attic, or basement to store these extra things. These areas also need to have the impression of space. Instead, invest in short term storage for items you usually store in these areas. Make sure walls and doors are free of smudges and look for anything that might indicate a maintenance problem, such as cracked windows, holes in the wall or stained ceilings. Finally, if your basement shows any signs of dampness or leakage, seal the walls.

Quick tips for showings:

1. Keep counter tops cleared and clutter free
2. Replace all burned out lightbulbs
3. Open all drapes and window blinds
4. Put pets in cages or take them out of the house
5. No dirty dishes in the sink
6. No laundry in the washer/dryer
7. Clean or replace dirty or worn carpets
8. Put on soft music
9. Burn wood in the fireplace on cold days, otherwise, the fireplace should be clean
10. Remove offensive odors
11. Always look at your home from the buyer's point of view. Be objective and be honest.