At this point, the goal is to make fast and visible changes that will yield more than a 100% return on investment.Ten steps that your can use to prepare your house for sale. It is easier if you do them in order, but not necessary.

1. Disassociate yourself with your Home
2. Make Minor Repairs
3. De-Personalize
4. House Clutter
5. Closets and Cabinets
6. Favorite Items
7. Neutral Colors
8. Curb Appeal
9. House Staging
10. Scrutinize

Disassociate yourself with your Home

Say to yourself, “This is not my home; it is a house – a product to be sold.

Make a mental decision to “let go” of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.

Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance manuals to the new owners!

Say goodbye to every room.

Don’t look backwards – look towards the future.

Make Minor Repairs

Replace anything that is broken or cracked, repair damage to walls – (including cracks, stains, and holes).  Fix leaky faucets and slow drains, re-caulk around sinks and tubs. Make sure all cupboards, drawers and doors etc. open and close without squeaking. Replace burned-out bulbs, make sure electrical outlets and switches are functioning properly.  Address any water intrusion issues. Check each room (including the basement and garage) to make sure that you are not missing any important issues that should be addressed before your home is placed on the market.

De-Personalize

Pack up those personal items, knick-knacks, family heirlooms, diplomas, trophies, and even religious items.  Also, be sure all important papers are stashed away and out of site. This is usually the hardest step, because it is tempting to get distracted as you put away all the important items you have collected through the years.  Buyers can’t see past personal artifacts and you don’t want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls. Hang in there, you’ll get through this part, you are well on your way to a fast sale.

House Clutter

This step is to make your house appear larger. People collect an amazing amount of junk.  Consider this: if you haven’t used it in over a year, you probably don’t need it.   Generally I suggest you take about half of your furniture and put it away in storage, sell or donate if you won’t be using it in your next home.  This may sound harsh, but the goal is to make your house appear bigger and more spacious.

Every room should have a purpose. All those papers that you gathered on the kitchen or dining room table need to be cleared off.  Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.

Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.

Closets and Cabinets

Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinets doors. Think of the message is sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if he/she sees everything organized.  It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well – this means put away all clothes that are out of season, style or don’t quite fit anymore – hang all shirts, sweater, pants etc. with hangers facing the same direction.  Line up shoes.  In the hall closet only keep a vacuum, and a few coats – that’s all.   Kitchen – clear all extra appliances, accessories and clutter off the counters – remove and pack extra dishes, clear out every single drawer and clean out the refrigerator.

Favorite Items

Does your home have a family heirloom – chandelier, sconces etc.   Do you want to take them with you when you move? Be sure to remove these items before you put your house on the market. Also make sure to replace the removed items with something so it doesn’t appear like anything is different.

Why?  If a buyer never sees it, they won’t want it. Once you tell a buyer they can’t have an item, that they covet, it could blow your deal.

Neutral Colors

Now is the time to put a fresh coat of paint up in the rooms that need it. It’s recommended to de-accent any accent walls, and paint over rooms with bright or bold colors.   What we are going for is something warm, inviting and neutral. Nothing cleans up a room faster than a fresh coat of paint.   Don’t forget to do the trim work too.   Also, if the carpets are dirty, now is the perfect time to professionally clean, or even replace them. Changing the carpets is one of the few things that immediately yields a greater return in investment.

Curb Appeal

Look at the exterior of your home with a critical eye.  It’s been said over and over, the first impression counts. When selling a house, the first impression is when a car of potential buyers pulls up in front , and looks at your house for the first time. They are looking at the landscaping. They are looking at the paint. They are looking at the yard.  A potential buyer will walk right up the front steps and through the front door.

Pay particular attention to your front porch and door – make sure it is inviting  – the walkway is free of any debris, lawn mowed, the front door is clean and no dead plants on the front step/stoop.

House Staging

If you have followed all the aforementioned steps, you are almost done. Home staging is the art of re-arranging furniture and decorating to appeal to buyers.

Your agent can help you or you can hire a stager to put the finishing touches on your home. Staging is the icing on the cake. Staging makes the home look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer more loving and best of all, it makes buyers want to buy it.

Scrutinize

Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?

Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.  If you are not happy with something, fix it, move it – do whatever it takes to make that first impression ever lasting.  If you follow all these steps, and tackle a little bit every day for a few days/weeks, you can have your house ready in no time at all.  Plus, by doing these steps, it will make it easier to move when you do get that great offer.