Depersonalize

- Get rid of personal collections

- Get rid of family photos

- Get rid of all excess from your daily living

- You want buyers to imagine living there themselves

Well Maintained

- Fresh paint is important

- Choose a warm color, for example, beige or sage

- Repair leaky taps and toilets

- Clean furnace and humidifier

- Tighten door knobs and cupboard latches

- Clean and repair windows

- Repair seals around tub and basin

- Replace burned out light bulbs

- Oil squeaking doors

Clean, Clean, Clean!

- Keep in mind, new homes are the coompetition

- Replace dingy carpet

- Clean and freshen bathrooms

- Clean refrigerator and stove

- Clean furnace exterior

- Clean baseboards

- Clean washer, dryer and laundry tubs

- Make closets neat and tidy

- Clear kitchen counters and stove

Curb Appeal

- Cut lawns

- Trim hedges and shrubs

- Weed and edge gardens

- Pick up litter

- Clear drive & walkway of snow and leaves

- Repair soffits and eavestroughs

- Clean out garage

Minimal Furniture

- Empty homes and overly furnished homes don't sell as well

- First, try moving all furniture/accessories out of one room

- Then, add it back one piece at a time until you have minimal arrangement

- Make sure only furniture in good shape goes back in the room

- Slipcovers & furniture touch-up pens are handy to disguise worn/dated furniture

- Make sure buyers can see the square footage

- Make sure visitors can easily walk through the room

- Clear halls and stairs of clutter

- Store surplus furniture

- Use ornaments sparingly in groups of one, three or five.

- Anything more is a personal collection that will be distracting

Create A Buying Mood

- Arrange to be absent during the showing

- Turn on all lights

- Turn on air conditioning when necessary

- Light fireplace

- Open drapes in the daytime

- Play quiet background music

- Curb your pet - empty litter box

- Freshen a room with things from outdoors, for instance, twigs or greenery in a vase