Tips for Getting Your Home Ready to Show for Sale

When putting your home on the real estate market to sell, it's important to have your home ready for show and from the prospective buyer's point of view. First impressions count and can mean the difference in your home selling quickly and being on the market for an extended period of time. Here are some tips for getting your home ready to show.

Change Your Mindset from Selling a Home to Selling a House

Change your mindset from the structure being your home to being a house. A home has memories and is harder to sell. One way to start this process is to remove all pictures, family photos, trinkets and memorable decorating items. Go ahead and pack them for your move. You will create new memories in your new house and it will become a new home.

Remove Extra Furniture

Furniture is necessary in a house, but it can decrease the size appearance of a room. The objective is to have only enough furniture in each room to showcase what the room might be used for. When selling a home, think in terms of less is more. Prospective buyers want to be able to visualize their own furnishings and decorative items in the home. If your home is densely furnished or cluttered, it might distract some potential buyers during the showing.

Paint and Clean the Walls

You will be amazed at what a fresh coat of paint and cleaning the walls can do for your house. Prior to putting the house on the market, paint existing walls. Clean panels and any walls and trim that are not painted. If you have a room that is an odd color, it's best to paint it a neutral color. Don't forget to patch any holes in drywall. Even though they are relatively easy to repair, holes don't give a good impression.

Make Minor Repairs

Check your house for minor repairs. Make certain that faucets are not leaking, windows are not cracked and doors and windows are sealed. Check to make sure outlets are working properly in all of the rooms. Just walk around your house as if you were going to purchase it. Go room by room to check for minor repairs that need to be made.

Clean the Yard

The yard and entrance area of your house is the first thing that people see when they pull into your driveway. It's extremely important to take the time to do a little landscaping. Make certain that extra toys, clutter, yard equipment and so forth are packed for your move and placed in temporary storage.

Take the time to use patch sod to fill in bare spots on the lawn. You will want to plant some seasonal flowering plants or shrubs around the entrance and yard. Trim trees, shrubs and greenery around your house as well. Move trash receptacles to the back of the house. If they become too full from packing and cleaning, make a trip to your local dump instead of letting it pile up.

Remember, first impressions do count when selling a home. The better you prepare your home and surroundings for show, the more likely you'll get a better price and a quicker sale.