Prepping to sell your home can be a stressful process. Here are tips for spiffing up your home before placing it on the market.

Pack up personal items.
Potential buyers want to envision themselves in the space, so clearing out family photos and personal items is a must. If you’ve lived in your home for many years, family photos might be a staple of your décor. To help stage the home, we suggest using large pieces of art to replace walls filled with family photos where needed but, don’t be afraid to leave a wall empty either! It’s much easier for the buyer to imagine adding their own wall décor than it is to imagine the blank space.

Clean it up, clean it out.
Storage space is a must-have for many home buyers. Maximize the appearance of your home’s storage space by cleaning out closets and cupboards as well as the basement, garage, and attic.  Pack away out-of-season clothing and donate what you no longer need. If you’re like me, you’ll find tons of stuff you forgot you even had. Bonus: Once you sell, you’ll have a head start on the packing and less stuff to move!

Fresh paint!
It’s amazing what a new coat of paint can do. Give your home a refreshed look by using warm neutral tones throughout. This lets buyers see the home as move-in ready! We suggest using a “greige” paint color. It’s really on trend right now, helping your home look fresh and modern. Oh, and don’t forget to patch and paint the places where you took down all those photos!

Give it some serious elbow grease.
You’d be surprised what a difference deep cleaning can make! Use a power washer to deep clean the exterior siding and walkways – but be sure to avoid your windows and doors that can be damaged by the powerful spray. Clean out dust and cobwebs, bleach grout, wax floors, and polish hardware. If you have pets, have the carpets professionally cleaned prior to the first showing. Even if your home is in excellent condition, pet smells can be a deal breaker. Don’t take the chance of losing a potential buyer when cleaning the carpets will do the trick!

Tune up windows and doors.
Check your windows and doors for signs of damage or deterioration, and make necessary repairs before your first showing. Keep an eye out for cracked or broken panes, chipping paint, and loose or worn weather stripping.