Selling Your Home: Real Estate Tips and Tricks to Maximize Your Profits

First Impressions Count

Remember what first attracted you to your house before you purchased it? What excited you most? When deciding how best to present your home for sale it is helpful to get back into a buyer's frame of mind.

An attractive property makes a great first impression on potential buyers, grabs their attention and makes them excited about finding a house that looks and feels well cared for. Because buyers believe they'll encounter fewer problems when buying a well taken care of home, your house becomes more appealing and stands out from the competition. To maximize your profits, you need to prioritize this important step in selling your home!

A good first impression makes an impact on a number of levels. It's not just the way your house looks to potential buyers, but how it feels and smells, how their friends and family will react and how they imagine it would be to live there. With simple improvements throughout your house, you can grab the attention of potential buyers and help them see why your house is right for them.

Plan Ahead

It is important in the pre-listing phase of selling hour home to create a detailed plan and budget to spruce up your property. Keep a notebook handy and as you stroll through your home and yard make a list of what needs to be done. Consider what your property looks like to people driving by or walking through your door. Ask yourself the following questions... What will they like or dislike? What needs fixing, painting or cleaning? What can be improved? Whether you paint your house or fix up the yard, your efforts don't need to be costly. Even inexpensive improvements and minor repairs go far towards attracting serious buyers. But remember, those seemingly insignificant problems you've learned to live with can actually discourage potential buyers.

Here are some ideas for increasing your home's appeal in order to sell it quickly at the best price:

Clean Everything

The old saying..."Ceanliness is next to Godliness" is right on the money when selling a home! Buyers expect a spotless house inside and out so clean everything...especially your windows and window sills. Scrub walls and floors, tile and ceilings, cupboards and drawers, kitchen and bathrooms. Wash scuff marks from doors and entryways, clean light fixtures and the fireplace. Don't forget the laundry room and to put away your clothes.

Cut the Clutter

People are turned off by rooms that look and feel cluttered. Remember that potential buyers are buying your house not your furniture so make your rooms feel large, light, neutral, and airy. As you clean, pack away your personal items such as pictures, valuables, and collectibles and get rid of surplus books, magazines, videotapes, extra furniture, rugs, blankets, etc. Consider renting a storage unit to eliminate clutter in your garage and attic.

It's hard to get rid of possessions but clearing out the clutter can really pay off in the end. Packing away your decorations and unused kitchen ware also gets you started packing for your next move. Make your garage and basement as tidy as the rest of your house. Simple little tasks such as storing your tools and neatly rolling up your garden hose suggest that you take good care of your house. Don't let anything detract from making a best first impression.

Checklist for Results

The Front Door: An attractive entry catches a buyer's eye and says "Welcome" so highlight this area of your house with decorative touches such as a wreath on the door or new flowers around the steps. For an even grander entry, clean and paint your front door or replace it with a new one for a few hundred dollars. Don't forget to fix and polish doorknobs, repair torn screens and put out a new welcome mat

Closets: They're an important consideration to many buyers. By storing clothing not in use you'll make closets look more spacious.

Paint: A new coat of paint cleans up your living space and makes it look bright and new. To make rooms look larger choose light, neutral colors that will appeal to most people.

Carpet: Check its condition. If it's worn, consider replacing it. It's an easy and affordable way to help sell your home faster. Again, light, neutral colors, such as beige, are best. If you don't replace it you can negotiate with potential buyers that they could select new carpet and you'll reduce your price. At the very least, have your carpet cleaned.

Repairs and Renovations: It's best to avoid making major renovations just to sell the house since you're unlikely to recoup those costs in your selling price. Make minor repairs to items such as leaky faucets, slow drains, torn screens, damaged gutters, loose doorknobs and broken windows. Make sure repairs are well done as buyers won't take you seriously if your home improvement efforts look messy, shoddy or amateurish.

Leaks and Moisture: Water stains on ceilings or in the basement alert buyers to potential problems. Don't try to cosmetically cover up stains caused by leaks. If you've fixed the water problem, repair the damage and disclose in writing to the buyer what repairs were made.

Curb Appeal: The "Wow" factor...that first visual, high-impact impression your home makes on potential buyers...can turn a looker into a buyer. To determine your property's curb appeal, drive through your neighborhood and make notes about other properties. Next, approach your own house as if you were a potential buyer. How does it look? Does it "wow" you? Will its curb appeal attract buyers? Note what needs improving such as trimming trees, planting shrubs or replacing gutters. Little things convey that you've cared for your home. This is your opportunity to sell that important message to buyers who are house shopping from the street. To get them through your door, do what you can to make your property look like someone's dream home.

Paint/Stain: If it's peeling or blistering and you can't remember the last time you painted it your house needs some attention. A newly painted or stained exterior will help sell your house faster. Whether you do it yourself or hire someone you'll also increase your home's value.

Landscaping: Grab people's attention by enhancing your yard and landscaping. If your house looks inviting and well-maintained from the street people will imagine that it's attractive on the inside too. Prune hedges, trim trees and keep your lawn looking healthy by mowing, fertilizing and keeping it edged. Clean up and dispose of pet mess. In the winter its is important to keep your driveway and sidewalks shoveled, de-iced and well-lit. Also make sure you stack firewood, clean out birdbaths and repair fences.