Home Sellers: Grab Seven Easy Home Makeover Tips

By Irish E Danner

Selling your home is one of the most stressful events you can live through. The joy of life in a fish bowl soon drains away. And the longer the process drags on the longer you have to deal with the problem of keeping your house spotless and ready to show at a moment's notice.

To minimize your stay in stressed out mode you want to do all you can to impress would be buyers on first sight. And to do that you want to make them feel they're being wooed. That starts with curb appeal. And is continued by presenting the appearance of the most maintenance-free home they can imagine themselves in. Because after going through all the packing and unpacking involved in a move who wants to deal with a toilet over flow at 1:00 AM their first week in the place?

Yet getting that curb appeal doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. In fact anyone who can beg, borrow or steal a thousand dollars is well on their way to creating a curb appealing house. That will easily stand out from the uninformed or less motivated competition.

Yes, you read that right. A few dollars well spent, along with plenty of elbow grease, can produce a shiny, hospital clean edition of your home. And yes white glove clean is what we're talking here. Every cob web and dust bunny must be banished. Every fixture must sparkle. All surfaces should be squeaky clean. Because that's what it takes to lure a buyer in this market today.

Naturally there are a couple of areas that deserve immediate attention. Inside that would be the kitchen and bath. Those are the two most important rooms in the house in fact. Plus the impression made by the front entrance as seen when pulling up to the curb is also vitally important.

Plus you want to eliminate anything that might generate an "Oh Yuck" response on sight. Any flaw fitting that description has to be fixed, resolved or replaced. Be it an oil stain on the drive that rivals the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Or a set in Kool-aid stain sitting in the middle of the living room carpet.

Now the things to consider about the front entrance include the door itself, door hardware, your mailbox plus any shrubs or plantings around the front porch that may have taken on an overgrown, jungle like look to them.

Considering your bathroom next, what kind of statement does the vanity make? Especially the side facing the commode? What else is there about the bath that could be a potential deal killer? Whatever it is, cover, replace or fix it right away.

How are the kitchen appliances? Consider replacing the oldest among them. Especially if it sports a name badge of a manufacturer that went out of business decades ago.

Before the listing hits the MLS, you want to get the deep cleaning and de-cluttering out of the way. It can't hurt to visit a model home to see what you're up against since that might be a good standard to compare to. Because you can bet some buyers will be doing just that. Comparing your house to a new build.

Anyone looking to speed up the sale would be wise to heed any of this advice. Because nothing impresses like a clean, spotless, freshly painted house. You're telegraphing it's been well maintained and is in move in ready condition. Which is the best way to sweep buyers off their feet. And the more of those you so sweep the sooner you'll find yourself in the former owner category. - 30230

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