Prepare Your House for Sale

General Tips

• Clean everything thoroughly. Ask a friend to help you assess your efforts
— especially in sensitive areas such as odor removal.
• Put out clean towels, new soap, a nice tablecloth and fresh flowers.
• Don't be at home during a showing or open house. Your absence will put
buyers at ease so they'll feel free to linger and ask questions.
• If you do stay, be polite, but let your sales associate do the talking.
• Don't apologize for the condition of your home.
• Make sure kids and pets are out of the house.
• Unclutter all areas of your home to create an impression of spaciousness
and plentiful storage space. A great way to clear away clutter and make
money at the same time is to hold a yard or garage sale.
• Nothing makes a home look newer faster than a fresh coat of paint.

Neutral colors such as beige, white, off-white and gray have a broad appeal to prospective buyers. These colors suggest newness and cleanliness. It's a good idea to stick to neutrals when making any improvements prior to selling your home.

Tips for a better open house

If you're committed to holding an open house, here's how to do it right.

1. Clean and repair your home. It should go without saying, but clean your house as if you were going to eat off the floors. Also, consider making minor cosmetic repairs and upgrades such as touching up paint and planting fresh flowers.

2. De-clutter. Put away the ceramics collection, toys and things lining the bathroom and kitchen counters. A crowded house makes it look smaller and makes it harder for buyers to imagine it as their own.

3. De-personalize. Take down family photos, trophies and other personal touches, even that book on your nightstand. Buyers need to imagine the house as a blank slate, ready to be occupied and personalized by them.

4. Consider holding an early viewing just for the locals. For instance, if you are having an open house from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., invite your neighbors from noon to 1 p.m. It will make them feel good and allow the agent to focus on the most interested parties when the real open house starts.

5. Promote heavily. Make sure your open house is listed on the MLS and on other Internet sites , Post lots of pictures, send out fliers, put up lots of signs and advertise in your local paper.