4 Basic Tips Guaranteed to Sell Your Home Faster

What do I need to do to get my home ready to sell? I am asked this all the time when owners are preparing to sell their homes. Selling a home is not an easy task. You may need to start preparing months in advance. Visit a model home in a new development, or even other homes that are selling to see what works and what doesn't. Notice how the model homes makes you feel. The sparse, non-personal decoration generally appeals to everyone and is easy on the eye. Keep in mind, you are preparing the house to sell not to live in.

1. Remodeling. While remodeling definitely adds value and helps a home sell quicker, exactly how much money do you get back in return? According to Realtor Magazine, while the Kitchen and Bathrooms are the rooms most recommended to remodel, you can expect 94.1% of the money you spent on an average kitchen remodel and 87.5% on a bathroom remodel back in the sales price. So if you plan to do any remodeling it is important that you use a budget, and stick to it, in order for the remodel make sense. This is not the time to use the top of the line accents or features unless you plan to enjoy the remodel for a year or two before selling. Be practical.

2. Paint. At the same time, some very low cost affordable things can be done to help sell your home more quickly. Touch up the paint or if it beyond this, then paint the home a nice neutral color. "Realtor®" Beige is good. Right now there are multiple offers going out on homes that may be dated, but are clean and well maintained.

3. Clean…Clean…Clean… The most important cost effective task to make your home more sellable is to deep clean and de-clutter the home. While one person's clean is another person's dirty, is important to ask for feedback from friends and your Realtor®. An objective by-stander can see when your love-worn chair has to go. If you refuse to put it out of its misery, then at least put it into storage. Look at your furniture, see if you can remove any of it and then rearrange to open up the room. Nothing yells out "small room" quicker than too much furniture. Pack up all those personal photos and other knick knacks. Oil scent diffusers or other types of light air freshers add a nice touch, filling the room with a safe, pleasant fragrance.

4. Landscaping. Another important item is the yard. Curb appeal is what will often get someone in the door. Even though we have heard "don't judge a book by its cover" a million times, it is our nature. Landscaping accounts for 15%of the price. A ragged, weed ridden yard with junk thrown about warns the buyer of what’s to come inside. Clean up the yard, keep the weeds mowed, edge the lawn, trim those over-grown bushes, and plant a few bright color flowers in the entrance to lure them in. If your grass is brown, sprinkle some ammonia sulfate and water well for a quick green. Also the yard should be free of old cars, engine blocks, empty plant pots, and trash.

With a glut of ghastly foreclosures on the market, these simple, yet vital steps, are guaranteed to help you sell your house quickly and at a higher price.

--Virginia Hall