Preparing Your Home For Sale
Most buyers know within the first few seconds of entering a house whether they would consider buying it. That means that the decision is made before they have seen most of the house! They are going on their first impression, the impact of walking through the door and getting that “good” or “bad” feeling about the place. This has everything to do with how well the house shows, how thoroughly you have prepared the house for sale. If buyers walk through the door and feel they have entered a welcoming, open space where they can imagine building their lives, you have overcome the biggest hurdle in selling residential real estate. This is particularly important during a buyer’s market, where shoppers have many choices.
There are a few tried-and-true steps you can take to greatly enhance the appeal of your house to buyers. If you are selling a house that’s a fixer, or selling at a steep discount, then most of this is unnecessary. Otherwise, these steps are among your most effective sales tools. Your agent will advise you on specifics. Remember that you should not spend a lot of money preparing your house for sale. In today’s slower market especially, you simply will not get your money back if you make expensive changes or upgrades.
Depersonalizing Your Home
This is the hardest thing for most people to do, because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house. The things that make your house your home, however, are exactly the things that may turn buyers away. Family photos, personal heirlooms, trophies, etc, can make it more difficult for buyers to envision your house as their home. If your house is clearly ‘branded’ by your personal life, it will feel to buyers like someone else’s home, a place they can not properly settle into. Strange as it may feel, remove photos and highly personal items. Replace them with neutral, peaceful artwork, and decorate the house sparsely with items that have broad appeal and make no personal statements, such as houseplants. The same goes for books. Be cautious about displaying books that signal controversial opinions, for example. Use your judgment. And again, let your agent help you.
Removing Clutter You May Not Think of as Clutter
Over the years, things accumulate in our houses in a way that may not be evident to us. “Stuff” collects on shelves, coffee tables, counter tops, in drawers, closets, garages, attics, and basements. The overall effect may be one of disarray, or of a lack of space and harmony.
Take a step back and pretend you are a buyer. What do you see? Let friends help point out areas of clutter. Let your agent help you! A good agent knows exactly what to do to create that sense of flow, openness and harmony that appeals to the vast majority of buyers. If you think it makes no real difference, you are mistaken!
If your place is full of “stuff”, rent a storage unit and leave the extra items there until your house has sold. Many sellers also take the opportunity to have a garage sale or donate items to charity. You’ll be amazed at how many things you no longer need, and are glad to get rid of before you move into your new home!
Kitchen Clutter 
Get everything off the counters. Even the toaster. Put the toaster in a cabinet and take it out when you use it. Find a place where you can store everything in cabinets and drawers. Clean the cabinets out. Beneath the sink is critical, too. Make sure that area is as empty as possible, removing all extra cleaning supplies. Of course, you may notice that you do not have enough cabinet space to store everything. Box it up and put the boxes in storage.
Why? Because buyers will open all of your cabinets and drawers. They want to make sure that there is enough room for their “stuff.” If your kitchen cabinets, pantries, and drawers look like they’re about to spill over, it sends a negative message to the buyer rather than promote an image of plentiful space. It may not be entirely rational, but again, it is what happens!
You should scrub the area down as well, and determine if there are any tell-tale signs of water leaks that may alarm your buyers. If there are, determine if the leak is current, and if it is, repair it! If it is not, paint over the old stain.
Closet Clutter
Closets are great for accumulating stuff. After all, that’s where all those extra clothes and shoes, boogie boards, old frames, random tools, blankets and games have to live! These items can make your closets look crammed. Box them up and put them in storage. The closets will be opened by every serious buyer!
Furniture Clutter
Many people have too much furniture in some of their rooms. Not too much for their own personal living needs, but too much to give the illusion of space that buyers like to see. You may want to tour some builders’ models to see how they place furniture in model homes, then make similar changes in your house. Again, a good real estate agent can help you set up the rooms in a way that will most appeal to buyers. Agents can also consult with professional stagers, although paying for professional staging can be pricey and is often reserved for higher-end, expensive properties.
Storage Area Clutter
Basements, garages, attics, and sheds accumulate not only clutter, but junk. These areas should be as empty as possible so that buyers can imagine what they would do with the space. Remove anything that is not essential and take it to storage. Make sure everything you leave behind looks tidy.
Fixing Up the House Interior
Plumbing and Fixtures 
All of your sink fixtures should look shiny and new. If this cannot be accomplished by cleaning, buy new ones where needed. Make sure all the hot and cold water knobs are easy to turn and that the faucets don’t leak. If they do, replace the washers. It is not difficult at all! If you can’t do it, you have a friend or relative who can. Worst case scenario, bring in a handyman who can do multiple little repairs at once.
Check to make sure your drains are draining properly, and that there are no stains on any of the porcelain. If you have a difficult stain to remove, consider hiring a cleaning crew on a one-time basis. Point out problem areas to them! They seem to be wonderful at making stains go away. And if your drains are slow, consider hiring a plumber to fix the problem. It’s a worthwhile investment if it translates into a quick sale at the price you want. And remember that your buyer will probably have a general inspection performed, and that any plumbing problems will most likely be revealed then anyway. If your drains are not draining properly, the buyer may well request that you repair them.
Ceilings, Walls and Painting
Check all the ceilings for water stains. Sometimes old leaks leave stains, even after you have repaired the leak. Of course, if you do have a leak, you should have it repaired. If the stain is from an old leak that has been repaired, paint over the area so that agents and buyers are not unnecessarily alarmed. Don’t put this off, assuming you can just explain the stain to the buyer later. Remember, first impressions are key! A single stain can make the buyer think that the house has not been properly maintained and that multiple problems are in store! You should do the same for the walls, looking not only for stains, but also for areas where dirt or cobwebs have made themselves at home.
Buyers do not like peeling paint! Peeling paint gives the impression of a place that is overall “falling apart at the seams.” Painting can be your best investment when selling your home. It is not a very expensive task, and often you can do it yourself. Do not choose colors based on your own preferences, but based on what would appeal to the widest possible number of buyers. You should almost always choose an off-white color because white helps your rooms appear bright and spacious. Other popular choices are pale yellow and pale peach. Stay away from strong or highly individualistic colors and schemes such as red, purple and other non-neutral shades. Remember: You are taking yourself out of the home.
Carpet and Flooring
Unless your carpet is noticeably old and shabby, or is a very outdated style or color, do nothing more than hire a good carpet cleaner. If you do choose to replace the carpet, do so with something inexpensive in a fairly neutral color. If you have hardwood floors that are in good shape, consider having them polished so they gleam. If they are badly worn, you should probably have them refinished. Repair or replace broken floor tiles, but do not spend a lot of money on anything at this stage.
Windows and Doors
Dark, dingy homes turn buyers off. Wash your windows! Then, open all blinds and curtains at times when people may view the house. Natural light streaming through sparkling windows makes a wonderful impression. It signals cleanliness and is associated with health and joy. Buyers will feel good in the house the instant they walk in. If the house is naturally dark, try to have all of the lights turned on when buyers are coming to view the house.
Check all of your windows to make sure they open and close easily. If not, a spray of WD40 often helps. Make sure there are no cracked or broken windowpanes. If there are, replace them before you begin showing your home.
Do the same things with the doors. Make sure they open and close properly, without creaking. If they do, again, a shot of WD40 on the hinges usually makes the creak go away. Be sure the doorknobs turn easily, and that they are cleaned and polished to look sharp. As buyers go from room to room, someone opens each door, and you want to do everything necessary to create a positive impression.
Odor Control 
The way your house smells is the first thing anyone walking in will notice. If you smoke, you should minimize smoking indoors while trying to sell your home. You should also have upholstery and carpeting professionally cleaned and deodorized to eliminate any lingering odor. Purchase an ozone spray that helps to remove odors without creating a masking odor.
Pets of all kinds create odors that you may have become used to, but are immediately noticeable to others. For those with cats, be sure to empty kitty litter boxes daily. There are also products that you can sprinkle in a layer below the kitty litter that help control odor. For those with dogs, keep the pooch outdoors as much as possible. Better yet, see if a relative or trusted friend can house them for a little while. Not only will this minimize odors, it will also make it easier for people to visit the house. Clean your floors frequently, using deodorizers or steam.
Take the trash out daily! Not only for odor control, but also for aesthetics. Remember that people will look in the cupboard under the kitchen sink, so even if you keep your trash can hidden there, replace the trash bag often.
An experienced agent knows how to make your home show, and smell, great. During Open Houses, for example, your agent may place an apple pie or fresh bread in the oven, to fill the house with smells most people associate with home and family. On warmer days, strategically placed scented candles and flowers do the trick.
Costs of Repairs
Everything described above is quite inexpensive. Do not do anything costly, such as remodeling. If possible, use savings to pay for any repairs and improvements. Do not go charging up credit cards or obtaining new loans. Remember that part of selling a house is also preparing to buy your next home. You do not want to do anything that will affect your credit score or hurt your ability to qualify for your next mortgage. It is amazing what fresh paint, a few minor repairs, and a good cleaning job will do for your house.
Fixing Up the House Exterior
You need to get buyers through the door. No matter how lovely your house looks on the inside, you won’t sell your house if buyers don’t even stop the car! So take a walk across the street and take a good look at your house. Look at nearby houses, too, and see how yours compares. Again, there are several inexpensive and easy steps you can take that will make a big difference.
Plants and flowers
Is your landscaping at least average for the neighborhood? If it is not, buy a few lush bushes and plant them. Do not put in trees. Mature trees are expensive, and you will not get back your investment. Young trees do not really add much to the appearance value of the home. And do not plant anything that blocks light from coming into the house.
A splash of vibrant color dramatically livens up the property. Colorful flowers are among your best and cheapest investments, and will attract people to your home. Place pots of colorful plants in strategic areas around the house, or plant mature flowers in the front.
Your lawn should be evenly cut, freshly edged, well watered, and free of brown spots. If there are problems with your lawn, you should probably take care of them before working on the inside of your home. This is because certain areas may need re-sodding, and you want to give it a chance to grow so that re-sod areas are not immediately apparent. Plus, you might want to give fertilizer enough time to be effective.
Always rake up loose leaves and grass cuttings, and keep the front and back yards tidy.
Should You Paint? 
When you look at your house from across the street, does it look tired and faded? If so, a paint job may be in order. It can dramatically spruce up the appearance of a house, and prove a terrific investment. If the paint is in good shape but covered with a film of dirt, which is very common, just have the house pressure-washed. The difference will be significant. The wash will also get rid of any cobwebs or other alien items clinging to the house!
When selecting a color, never choose anything bold and unusual. Different shades of yellow seem to elicit the best response from buyers. A strong accent color works very well too: a red door and shutters against a cream-colored house, for example; or forest-green doors and shutters against a pale yellow exterior.
As for the roof, if you know your house has an old leaky roof, replace it. If you do not replace a leaky roof, you are going to have to disclose it anyway, and the buyer will want a new roof. If it does not leak, wait and see what the buyer’s general inspector determines.
The Front Door and Lock
The front door should be especially sharp, since it is the entryway into the house. Polish the door fixture so it gleams. If the door needs refinishing or repainting, make sure to get that done. And make sure the door is free of cobwebs and visible dirt.
If you have a cute little plaque or shingle with your family name on it, remove it. Even if it is just on the mailbox. You can always put it up again once you move. Get a new plush doormat, too. This is something else you can take with you once you move.
Make sure the lock works easily and the key fits properly. When a buyer comes to view your house, the agent uses the key from the lock box to unlock the door. If the agent has trouble working the lock while the buyer looks on, this will make a negative first impression. Buyers are wary: If their first experience with your house is with something that is broken or damaged, they will fear that the house is not well maintained and that other things are damaged as well. Again: First impressions are everything.
Now you are ready to show your house!