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Once you’ve advertised your home, buyers will ride by, some will call, and many will stop in to see it. When they do, the thing that will influence their buying decision the most is the house itself. That’s why it’s important to make sure your house looks the best it can.

Curb Appeal
The first impression a buyer has of your home is as important as any first impression. It can determine whether or not they buy your home. Anything they can see from the front when they drive up reflects all of the other aspects of the home. For this reason, you need to be sure that everything on the outside of your home, from a loose shutter to a torn screen to untrimmed shrubbery, is fixed and in the best shape it can be. Areas around the sides of the house, and the back yard in particular, need to be tidy.

Inside the Home
Once a buyer is in the home, they need to see as much of the home, and as few of your things, as possible. While it’s a good idea for the home to have a homey feel, too many personal items, such as family pictures and collectible knick knacks, can detract from the buyer’s ability to imagine what they can make of the home. It’s a good idea to pack these items away for now; you have to pack them for your move anyway. One exception is books; books on bookshelves lend purpose and charm to those areas.

Tidying Up
Buyers are going to go through every nook and cranny of your home, including all the places where you might hide or keep all your clutter, so it’s wise to tidy up. Closets and storage spaces are important to buyers, so they need to be able to see into them easily. It’s especially important that you tidy up the two most important rooms in the home: the kitchen and the master bath. These two rooms, more than any others, determine whether someone will buy your home, so they should sparkle and their countertops should be free of things like toothpaste tubes and food processors.

Fixing Up
Now’s the time to fix the small paint cracks, the toilet with the handle you have to jiggle, the broken dimmer switch, and anything else that buyers will be able to see and touch throughout your home. Many of the these items that have become minor to you as you’ve lived in the home can be major indications to a buyer that other areas of the home are unkempt as well. Walk through your entire home and make note of the following:

• Fixtures Make sure all lighting fixtures have working bulbs; clean and polish all bathroom and kitchen faucets; fix any leaky plumbing fixtures; oil squeaky hinges and tighten loose door knobs.
• Walls & Ceilings Look for cracks, dings, and stains on your walls and ceilings and paint over them. Painting makes a room or hallway really stand out for very little money. Also, fill in any cracks in the moldings throughout the house. Your local paint or hardware store will have the right materials.
• Floors Carpets should be vacuumed, or cleaned with a professional cleaner if they’re badly stained. Unless your carpeting is really worn, it’s not a good idea to replace it; new owners will want to choose their own color. Keep hardwood, tile and vinyl floors clean, polished, and dust free.
• Doors & Windows Make sure all doors close properly and that their hinges don’t squeak. Windows should be clean and easy to operate. Replace any broken panes of glass.

If you need professional help with fixing up your home, you’ll find lists of local tradespeople on our Seller Resources page. For help with interiors, visit Seller Décor.

Renovations
Be careful when deciding whether you should renovate any parts of your home. While most renovations recoup some of their costs, few recoup them all. Renovations can add value to your home, but not dollar for dollar, so renovate wisely. If, for instance, your friends have joked with you about your ugly kitchen countertops, consider replacing them. You might not recoup the entire expense, but you’ll keep buyers from joking about them as well.

The Outside
Getting back to curb appeal, it’s the most important part of getting your home ready. People will drive by and decide whether or not to call about your home based on what they see from the street. In addition to repairing any loose shutters and torn screens, make sure anything that can be seen from the street looks pristine. A big part of this is your landscaping. Be sure to keep your lawn mowed, hedges and shrubbery trimmed, and get rid of all weeds. Also, keep your roof cleared of any debris, and if you have gutters, make sure they’re cleaned as well.

Summary
You want your home to look its best. Be critical, which may be hard to do in the place you’ve lived in for a while. Do your best to identify and repair any imperfections you see. Remember, buyers will see the imperfections, and these imperfections give off an impression for the entire house.

Next: How To Show Your Home

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