First impressions.

Curb appeal is important. An inviting exterior insures inspection of the

interior. Keep your lawn trimmed and edged, the flower beds cultivated

and the yard free and clear of debris.

If the exterior

of the home or trim needs to be painted, then paint it. Painting is one

of the best investments you can make. Also, make sure the front door and

front porch area is neat and clean. Again, we don't want to scare the

buyers away before they even get inside.

About the

interior. The perception of roominess is what sells. You may have

to rearrange furniture or eliminate some furniture if a room is too busy.

This could mean any room in the house.

Unclutter.

You are going to be moving anyway. Look at it as packing in advance. This

includes closets.

Cleanliness.

Clean your house from top to bottom, including windows. Your house

should pass the white glove test.

Kitchen.

Take everything off the kitchen counter tops that you don't absolutely

use every day. This helps the perception of roominess. (Hint: Take everything

off the refrigerator. Remove all magnets, notes, pictures, etc.)

Make small

repairs. Fix the leaky faucet, loose door knobs, caulking around bathroom

tubs, etc. All doors should open and close easily and all light switches

should work properly.

Painting.

Painting always pays big dividends. Use a neutral color like off-white.

Neutral colors appeal to more people. Be careful with wallpaper. It's

"different strokes for different folks." You could turn some

buyers off. You might be better served to just pass on the wallpaper.

Carpet.

If your carpet is old and worn, replace it. Don't look at it as an

expense but rather as an investment to get your home sold. Use a neutral

color like tan or light gray. If your carpet does not need to be replaced,

at least have it professionally steam cleaned.

Odors. Eliminate

all pet odors and other household odors, like cigarette smoke. One realtor

has a saying: "If I can smell it, I can't sell it."

Pets. It is

recommended that the pets themselves be kept out of the way and out of

the house during showing. Some people are allergic to animals, or even

scared of them.

If you use

these time-tested tips, you're sure to reap the rewards all the way to

the bank.

For more information,

Assist2Sell offers a free report entitled "27 Free & Easy Fix-ups

to Sell Your Home for the Best Price." Call Assist2Sell at 770-487-9195

and they will get the report right out to you.

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