How To Prepare Your Home For Sale

You’ll get a lot more money for your home if you know what will impress a buyer. These simple steps can get you 10-20% more for your home.

• Think about the first impression your house makes from the street. Look at your house with a critical eye.
• Don't draw attention to any negative attributes.
• Pay attention to details. Update or fix even small things that are broken.
• Remove any dead plants.
• Weed out any extra furnishings, clutter and personal belongings. Help the buyer feel like his/her belongings could have a place there.
• Trim any bushes that block light; light sells homes.
• Don’t make major improvements to a kitchen; you won’t make your money back. Instead, put on a fresh coat of paint and clear your countertops.
• Don’t totally remodel your bathrooms; fresh caulk may be all you need.
• Keep all rooms clean, even if you have to pay your teenagers to clean their rooms!
• Clean and organize your closets; buyers will think that if you don’t keep your closets neat, perhaps critical structural details of your house (plumbing, wiring, etc.) aren’t being kept up either.

From Barbara Corcoran, Real Estate Contributor, The Today Show