CURB APPEAL
A home buyer’s opinion is formed between the car and your front door. Statistics indicate that about half of all home sales are determined at the curb ~ Cut and edge your lawn ~ Trim shrubs and hedges ~ Rake up fall leaves ~ Repaint or replace a worn mailbox ~ Clean driveway and walkway ~ Plant or place pots of colorful flowers near the front entry area to add a welcoming touch.

THE FRONT DOOR
To create a good impression at the start of the inside home tour, the front door and entryway should be given special attention ~ Refinish or repaint the door, if necessary ~ Place a nice new door mat ~ Make sure the doorbell works ~ Make sure the door lock works easily.

UNCLUTTER THE HOUSE
Clutter makes the rooms and spaces appear smaller, so clear extra things away. Put them in storage ~ Clear kitchen countertop ~ Remove any seldom used items from kitchen cabinets, pantry, drawers, and underneath the sink ~ Organize closets and remove extra clothes ~ Clear bathroom countertop ~ Remove extra furniture from crowded rooms.

MAKE IT THEIR HOME, NOT YOUR HOME
Buyers like to imagine living in their potential house and do not want their illusions taken away. Limit the number of personal items displayed, such as ~ Family photos ~ Collectibles ~ Souvenirs ~ Trophies.

SPARKLE AND SHINE
Clean your house and keep it tidy. A clean, neat home gives the impression that the entire property has been well taken care of and in case of short notice to show your home, your house will be presentable ~ Pay particular attention to the kitchen and bathrooms ~ Shine sink fixtures to look like new ~ Remove stains from porcelain ~ Clean windows ~ Clean dirty vents ~ Clean ceiling fixtures ~ Deep clean wall-to-wall carpeting, if necessary ~ Dust and vacuum periodically ~ Make beds ~ Load the dishwasher ~ Keep dirty laundry out of sight.

FRAGRANT, ODOR-FREE HOME
Remove objectionable odors from their sources. They may not be so noticeable to you but some people are more sensitive to odors than others ~ Do not smoke in the house ~ If cigarette smell has absorbed into the draperies, furniture and carpet, air out the house and use an ozone spray ~ Clean the kitty litter box daily ~ Sprinkle carpet freshener on carpet for dog smells ~ Remove humidity source for any musty or mildew smell ~ Create a pleasant aroma in your house for a homey feeling. People respond positively to certain smells such as vanilla, which reminds many to cake baking, and cinnamon.

INTERIOR WALL PAINT COLOR
Neutral colors and subtle tones appeal to the widest number of people. Lighter colors also make the rooms appear larger. Stronger colors, if they are trendy tones, work for certain rooms.

WALLPAPER
Some buyers might not like the wallpaper because of differences in personal taste. If dated or worn, replace or paint.

CARPET
A neutral color appeals to most buyers. Professionally clean or replace stained or worn carpet.

CEILINGS
Paint the ceilings if there are any stains.

ROOF
Any loose or missing roof shingles should be repaired or replaced so that they won’t unintentionally raise questions about any possible problems with the roof.

BASEMENT
Empty the basement of clutter. Take excess boxes and non-essential things to a rented storage place so that buyers could picture what they want to do with the space. Place remaining items away from the foundation so that buyers could check for any water stains or problems.

PRIOR TO SHOWING, TURN ON LIGHTS
Turn on most of the lights in your home. A house looks more cheerful with the lights lit as well as brightening dim areas.