Eleven Secrets to Selling Your Home

Here are eleven secrets for selling from Donna Felker:

• Freshen up the home by painting walls a light, neutral color. Lighter colors appeal to a wider range of buyers and make each room look larger. Unless you already have an expert color scheme with the best light, investing in fresh paint can give you the highest return on your investment.
  
  
• Take a close look at the floor coverings in each room. Buyers will look at the floor first when they walk in the door. Have the carpets cleaned and floors shining.
  
  
• Allow as much light as possible to enter the room. Buyers love light and bright. Open up draperies, blinds, shades or other window coverings. Turn on lighting where needed.
  
  
• Removing the clutter of everyday life - stacks of paperwork, toiletries, kitchen utensils, electronic equipment and television sets. Remove magnets from the refrigerator.
  
  
• Remove furniture from each room that does not go with the decor, such as items that stand out too much and items that are worn or of an unappealing color. Also if the room is crowded remove the larger pieces and put in storage or the garage. Place the remaining room furnishings in a way that makes best use of the character of the space. A room should be balanced so that people do not focus on one particular piece of furniture.
  
  
• Now that you've removed the clutter from your home, adding some nice but inexpensive accessories will greatly elevate the perceived value of the home. Artificial plants or flowers purchased at a hobby store can make a big difference.
  
  
• Clean, clean, clean. Every corner within the home should be spotless and gleaming. Even your normal weekly cleaning can not come close to the quality of clean you need. If necessary, hire a professional, this includes windows!
  
  
• Peace and soft music are vital. When a buyer comes into a home, they need to concentrate on their surroundings. Instruct the kids to turn off the blaring TVs and radios. In some homes the buyers I have worked with could hardly wait to leave the property due to the din of loud music or a blasting TV.
  
  
• Think model home, stage the house. The houses that sell for much higher prices are homes that mirror the model home look. If you need to, visit some model homes in your area. There are many and the buyers will be comparing your home to theirs. The coompetition is tough, but not impossible to overcome. Maintain neat and clean.
  
  
• Climate control is vital. When showing a home another way to keep the buyer in your property as long as possible is to keep the home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A few dollars a month in utility bills will pay off much more than a vacant home that is freezing in the winter or hot in the summer. And the house will be better maintained with good climate control.
  
  
• And leave when showings occur, even if it means you hang out in the backyard or on the patio. Buyers will stay longer and feel more open to tell their agent what they really think of your home if they don't sense you hanging around.
  
  
• By following these proven methods of staging your home, you will receive a higher sales price in a shorter amount of time.