Boost Your Home's Selling Appeal

If you are selling your home, it is only natural to want to get the most money for it. In order to do that, it may become necessary to do make a few changes. Your home was designed to fit you and your family. Now, you need to convince someone else that it is perfect for their family, and that means making it appealing to them.

You might be surprised at how difficult these changes can make-not financially or physically, but emotionally. It might be hard to erase the years of memories with paint and spackle: the scratch in the door made when your kids brought you breakfast in bed, the crayon marks from when your children decided to make their own mural on their bedroom wall, or the pencil marks on the door jam that measured their growth. While these are loving memories for you, they are flaws to a potential buyer and need to go.

To make things a little easier, you need to use your eyes. No, not the ones in your head, but the "-izes" listed here: strategize, criticize, neutralize, sanitize, revitalize, depersonalize, organize, deodorize, criticize, cosmeticize, energize, and sensitize.

Strategize
Your first step is to strategize. It is important that you make as many improvements on your home as you can without spending too much money. Paint is one of the cheapest methods of improving a room and can dramatically improve a room. Caulk is also fairly cheap, and can help improve areas around your tub, shower, sinks, molding, and door-frames.

Criticize
Ask your real estate agent to come by and offer objective suggestions. If they are unavailable, consider asking your mother or mother-in-law-they always seem to be able to spot the flaws.

Neutralize
Repaint walls using a neutral color scheme, especially in your more visible rooms such as the kitchen and living areas. A fresh coat of neutral paint will make the room look larger, cleaner, and help cover any wear and tear on the walls.

Sanitize
Refinish or polish any wood floors. Have your carpet professionally cleaned or replaced with a neutral colored carpet. Clean tile floors and, if necessary, replace the old grout. Clean all light fixtures and ceiling fans, and replace all burned out light bulbs. Shadows make a room look smaller, so you want to have as much light in a room as possible.

Revitalize
Replace or repair any damaged or worn cabinet hardware. You should also consider replacing any worn kitchen counter-tops, outdated or worn vinyl flooring, any broken tiling, and broken or outdated blinds. You also should repair dripping faucets and any other problems that you can find.

Depersonalize
Remove all personal items from your home. Not only will things look more spacious, but it also makes it easier for potential buyers to imagine it being their home. This includes family pictures, awards, memorabilia, and your kids' artwork. Keep your bills and personal papers neatly out of sight. Consider placing them inside a locked filing cabinet for safekeeping.

Organize
Declutter and clear off any horizontal surfaces such as tables, bookcases, mantles, and mantles. It will make your house look bigger. You also need to organize your closets, cabinets, and drawers. Buyers are nosey and will open doors and peer inside. Weed out any old magazines (you will not want to move them anyway) and keep the rest in a decorative basket. You also need to clean and organize your basement, attic, and any storage spaces. This is a great time to start getting rid of items you do not want to move and packing items that you want to keep. Make sure your children keep their toys put away or at least confined to one area. For simplicity, start packing up the extra items and storing them until you move. It will make things easier later.

Deodorize
You may not notice your home's odor, but someone one else will. This is especially important for smokers and people with pets. Deodorize any particularly smelly areas especially litter boxes, pet beds, and carpets. Create a more appealing odor by using sprays, candles, or potpourri. Just be careful not to overdo.

Cosmeticize
Keep your lawn edged and mow regularly. Also, trim and prune bushes and trees. Re-mulch and plant a few flowers either in flowerbeds or in pots along the walkway. You should also clean your gutters and apply a fresh coat of paint or thoroughly clean your deck, railings, front door, and siding. Finally, do not forget to keep your garage door closed.

Energize
Consider leaving some light refreshments for your potential buyers. Coffee and cookies not only perk a person up, but also can add a nice fragrance to the room. Plus, it is a great way to welcome people to your home.

Sensitize
Add a few extra touches that make it more pleasing to any of the five senses. Keep some fresh fruit in the kitchen, newly cut flowers in the entryway, and a book on your favorite easy chair to show off your home.

It is amazing at how much you can improve your home in a very short time for very little money. There might be one drawback to making these changes. After doing these fixes, you might begin wondering why you are selling it.