How to Make Your House Sell Quickly and Profitably

Ever since my husband and I bought our house last summer, I have been paying close attention-largely via HGTV and TLC-to what sells a house, quickly and for a profit. Though we are not "flipping" our house, it is a definite fixer-upper, and since we are only planning on being here for three or four years, everything we do to fix it up is with partial consideration for our wants and needs, but also with a large consideration to what will sell.

I am amazed when I drive by some houses for sale in my area. Rundown exterior and trim, unmanaged landscape, and garbage strewn about are often visible from the road. While we did buy our house with a dumpster in the front yard and wild, over-run bushes, we also paid well under the appraised value. Assuming you are interested in making top dollar and selling quickly, spending some time improving your home's curb appeal is vital, in two instances. The first is the drive-by, those in the market for a home, who see the sign in your yard while passing by, and are immediately enchanted. The second is those who come purposefully to see and consider your house. Never underestimate the importance of first impressions. You want a potential buyer to pull up and say "wow", not "eek".

So you got them hooked with your curb appeal, and they are coming inside. One very important element in preparing a house for sale is the maxim "less is more". There are two facets to this principle:

First, take away the clutter. You are going to be moving soon anyway, so start packing up the extra stuff that sits around: children's toys, DVD and CD collections, magazines, even decorative pieces that you have a ton of, like candles or my growing delft collection. You want buyers to see the ideal house, clean, organized, and clutter-free. While often it is said to remove all personal pictures, I think leaving some family pictures, especially if you are aiming to sell to families, could be helpful. It will enable them to imagine their own families, present or potential. Just do not make them a focal point; rather, they should be in the background. DO clean off the fridge though. A hectic fridge-face makes the whole kitchen feel chaotic.

The other facet of less is furniture. Again, it is going to need to go anyway, and springing for a storage unit to hold the extra pieces of furniture will pay in the long run. You want people to see room around the furniture you do have, because that will give them the notion of there being a lot of extra space-the all-important square footage. Smaller couches, taking away the entertainment unit (including the TV, yes you can survive), or just minimizing the amount of end tables and bookcases will make rooms feel bigger.

Paint is very important, also. While you may have a flair for the dramatic, the average homebuyer is looking for something a little more neutral and soothing. This does not mean to paint everything white, or even cream, as those will make rooms feel bland. Light, cool browns, greens, and blue-grays will add elegance and a sense of calm. Along with the paint, choose elegant but not overwhelming window treatments. You want to be allowing light in, so it may be best to lose the mini-blinds for the sale process. Let your windows shine.

Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. This does not necessarily mean you have to have all expensive, top-of-the-line fixtures. What people want first and foremost is to walk into either of these rooms, and know they are not going to need to redo them themselves. If they feel like they are going to have to put thousands into projects, their offer is going to reflect that. Your best bet is to do simple changes using nice but inexpensive materials-oh, and CLEAN.

Remember, you are trying to sell this house-in essence, to get rid of it. While you may still have a strong emotional attachment to it the way it is, you are going to leave and make way for new owners. You might as well make a quick sale and get the highest offer possible in the process, so that you can move on to your new home a little easier.