Easy Ways to Add "Curb Appeal"

A surprising 50 percent of home purchase decisions are made during the first 60 seconds a potential buyer sees a house for sale, according to real estate industry studies. Therefore, it is very advantageous to take certain steps to prepare your home to show prospective buyers. Here are some simple things that you can do which could raise the selling price of your home and result in a quicker sell:

Interior Improvements:

One of the keys to making the interior of your home appealing to potential buyers is to keep it clean and simple. Even though your stuff may be precious to you, it detracts from the house by hiding what the buyer really wants in a home... space.

• Keep knickknacks to a minimum… pack up what you don't need out to make the room look less cluttered. Store those winter or summer clothes away to make the closets seem more spacious.
• Clean, vacuum, and dust all rooms
• Clean ovens and bathroom fixtures
• Get rid of pet or smoking odors (Spray items such as Febreeze on all of your carpet)
• Keep the floors clean - free of toys and clothes
• Install ceiling fans
• Replace broken windows or torn screens and wash all windows
• Install new bath and kitchen faucets
• Paint interior walls and ceilings - using neutral colors
• Carpet the floors that need it
• Resurface, paint, or replace kitchen and bath fixtures

• Mow lawn
• Cut shrubs and trim trees
• Put children's toys away
• Plant new flowers and small shrubs
• Pick up any trash, tree limbs, etc around your property
• Repair and improve driveway (i.e. patch cracked and broken cement, remove cement stains, etc)
• Add/repair/paint Shutters
• Repair damaged fence posts
• New front door
• New exterior lights
• Paint trim and garage door

• Make sure all lights are turned on, inside and out, to give the home a warm feel
• Bake bread, cookies, or apple pie while the home buyer is at your house!
• Have soft music playing in the background
• Put away pets during the showing