Ready to sell your home?  Below are some things Sellers should think about before putting  their home on the market. 

1. Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property’s realistic price range. 

2. Prepare for visitors. Get your house market ready at least two weeks before you begin showing it.    See below for more tips on Interiors and Exteriors.

3. Be flexible about showings. The more accommodating you can be about letting people see your home, the sooner you’ll find a buyer.  More on showings below...

4. Anticipate the offers. Decide in advance what price and terms you’ll find acceptable.

5. Don’t refuse to drop the price. If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days without an offer, you should be prepared to at least consider lowering your asking price.

• Give every room in the house a thorough cleaning, and remove all clutter.  This alone will make your house appear bigger and brighter.  Some homeowners with crowded rooms have actually rented storage garages and moved half their furniture out, creating a sleeker, and more spacious look.
• Hire a professional cleaning service, once every few weeks while the house is on the market.  This may be a good investment for owners who are busy elsewhere.
• Remove the less frequently used, even daily used items from kitchen counters, closets, and attics, making these areas much more inviting.  Since you are anticipating a move anyhow, holding a garage sale at this point is a great idea.
• If necessary, repainting dingy, soiled or strongly colored walls with a neutral shade of paint, such as off-white or beige.  The same neutral scheme can be applied to carpets.
• Check for cracks, leaks and signs of dampness in the attic and basement.
• Repair cracks, holes or damage to plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paint, and tiles.
• Replace broken or cracked windowpanes, moldings, and other woodwork.  Inspect and repair the plumbing, heating, cooling, and alarm system.
• Repair dripping faucets and showerheads.
• Spruce up a kitchen in need of a major remodel by replacing the cabinet knobs, new curtains, or a fresh coat of paint.

•  Keep the lawn edged, cut and watered regularly;

• Trim hedges, weed lawns and flowerbeds, and prune trees regularly;

• Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and   crumbling;

• Inspect doors and windows for peeling paint;

• Clean and align gutters;

• Inspect and clean the chimney;

• Repair and replace loose or damaged roof shingles;

• Repair and repaint loose siding and caulking;

• In winter, keep walks neatly cleared of snow and ice;

• During spring and summer months consider adding a few showy annuals, perhaps in pots, near your front entrance;

• Re-seal an asphalt driveway;

•  Keep your garage door closed;

• Store RVs or old and beaten up cars elsewhere while the house is on the market;

• Apply a fresh coat of paint to the front door. 

Click here to contact an agent with Star Realty if you would like to list your home for sale.  We offer free CMAs (comparative market analysis) which can help price your home.  We are available 24/7 with any questions you may have regarding the sale of your home.

1. Replace heavy drapes with lightweight sheers during warmer months to give a room a brighter, lighter feel.

2. Make the fridge smell fresh instantly with cotton balls soaked in vanilla extract or orange juice.

3. Help the home owner add new fluff to a lumpy comforter by having two people vigorously shake the quilt up and down to redistribute stuffing.

4. Shut some air conditioning vents on the first floor or basement so that more air will reach and cool the second floor. Reverse the process in winter for heat vents.

5. Resist the temptation to spot-clean walls since it will make the rest of the wall look dingy.

6.The most important rule:  Be as accomodating as possible.  A home that's impossible to show will be impossible to sell.   

•  Home Depot.com
•  Lowes.com