Preparing Your House for Sale

If you are considering selling your house, there are several tips and strategies you should consider so you can show your house to full advantage. These strategies can ensure you receive the highest bids as quickly as possible. You don't have to spend much money to prepare your house for sale, many strategies require little or no money. A few touch-ups and some effort on your part can really make your house shine.

The first thing you should consider is the outside of your home. You don't need to spend much on this, but well trimmed lawns and landscaping will give prospective buyers a good first impression. A good pressure washing may be necessary for particularly dim and dirty windows, stucco, or siding. You can rent a pressure washer for a weekend and give everything outside a nice clean, including driveways and side walks if they need it. While your house is on the market take a little extra time and keep the lawn and landscaping well trimmed and neat looking or hire someone to do it for you. A first impression is very important, people want to see the potential attractiveness of a property.

When you consider the interior, first consider painting. You don't need to paint every room, but consider whether some rooms might show better with neutral colors. Perhaps that shade of green you fell in love with and built your decorating scheme around is not everyone's taste. Don't give potential buyer's the chance to reject your house as, "the one with the lime green living room." Particularly consider lightening small areas like kitchens and bathrooms with light neutral colors.

After considering any painting issues, you may need to remove some clutter. You may need to rent a storage unit or store some things at a family member or friend's house. Your house will show much better if you remove many of the personal items such as photographs, artwork, and family heirlooms. You don't need to make your house look empty, but prospective buyers should be able to imagine the potential of a room without having to look past all your possessions. When dealing with children's rooms you have to strike a balance between leaving some of their personal items, yet making sure that it can be kept clean and neat with no objectionable materials on the walls. Particularly with teenagers, keep in mind that a potential buyer may be a family with younger children, and they don't want to view any rooms with inappropriate posters, signage, or photographs.

Once you have streamlined the look of the house you may wish to make some small improvements. New cabinet and door knobs in the kitchen or bathrooms, a new lampshade or two, or an area rug can brighteb a room for very little money. Perhaps some new towels, rugs, and shower curtains in the bathrooms to be put out only when potential buyers are coming. Maybe some new organizers in the kitchen or bathrooms so that countertops can be kept clean, neat, and clear of clutter.

After you have made what improvements you can, it is time for a thorough cleaning. If you can afford it, you may want to hire a cleaning service for weekly or biweekly visits while your home is on the market. If you cannot afford professional cleaners, it is up to you to thoroughly clean your house before it is listed. This includes things you may usually not bother with such as washing windows and mirrors, polishing cabinets, vacuuming under furniture, and organizing and neatening closets and storage areas such as the basement. Before the house is listed a thorough top to bottom cleaning may help you find unknown trouble spots and once you have decluttered, organized, and thoroughly cleaned; it will be a much easier and quicker job to maintain your house in salable condition.

As you prepare to put your home on the market consider how you can show it to the best advantage. Some dedicated lawn maintenance, small interior home improvement projects, removal of personal objects and clutter, and a thorough cleaning can make your home much more attractive to prospective buyers. You don't need to spend much money to improve the look and appeal of your home. A few small expenditures and some careful planning and effort on your part can make a big change and attract more bids so you can more easily sell your home.