When preparing their homes for sale, most people get it that when exposing their homes to potential buyers, everything has to be clean and presentable. That, however, is sometimes easier said than done. I now include the following advice in all my listing presentations, and I hope you will find some of these ideas useful and profitable.

Rules #1, 2 and 3 are CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN. Baseboards, corners, ceilings, and everything in between should sparkle. Don’t forget closets and cupboards – people will look! Don’t forget carpets and windows … clean, clean, clean!

Curb appeal is crucial. Many buyers will not even go inside if the yard is unkempt, overgrown or otherwise unappealing. Many more buyers will go inside but will start mentally deducting dollars from their offer.

Clutter can kill. You don’t want buyers distracted by your “stuff.” The overall impression should be that of lots of space. Avoid putting extra belongings in closets and garages – get it out of the house if at all possible. Now’s the time to have that garage sale, call the kids to pick up their college mementos, or make the trip to Goodwill. Anything that is distracting to the eye – or the mind – should be cleared out, such as collectibles, children’s toys, pet paraphernalia, etc. Check with your local garbage company for debris boxes to save some trips to the dumps. Many people have extra computers, monitors, printers, cell phones, etc., which can’t be put in the landfill but can be recycled at Computer Recycling Center, www.crc.org. Check with them for operating hours and any restrictions.

Each room must have a purpose (singular). Buyers get confused with dual purpose rooms, leading them to fear there isn’t enough space for all their activities and “stuff.”

Make all minor repairs and touch ups. Leaky faucets, loose knobs, sticking doors and windows, and other minor flaws detract from a home’s perceived value. Have them fixed. Many buyers believe that for every problem they notice, there are 10 more hidden problems.

I don’t feel you need to remove all personalization from your home. That’s neither practical nor necessary. Remove EXCESS personalization; in other words, one or two vacation pictures are charming, but an entire wall of vacation pictures is distracting. To share your favorite selling tips, drop me a note at dbyrne@sonic.net. I’ll share your favorites on a future blog!

Posted by:Deborah Byrne