First Impressions Last

1. First impressions are lasting! The front doorway greets the prospective buyer. Make sure it is fresh, clean and swept. Keep lawn trimmed and edged and the yard free of garbage.
2. Remember the 3 C's... clean, colorful and clutterless! Keep the property as clean as possible, use light and bright colors for accents, and, most important, get rid of the clutter! Personal photographs and momentous are very important to you, but they are very distracting to potential buyers. Try to create a "blank slate" for them to picture where they would place their own belongings.
3. Let the sun shine in! Open draperies, curtains and leviours and let the buyers see how bright and cheerful the property can be. Dark rooms are unappealing.
4. Fix that faucet! Dripping water suggests faulty plumbing.
5. Repairs can make a big difference! Loose knobs, sticking and squeaking doors and windows, warped cabinet fronts or drawers and other minor flaws detract from home value. Many buyers believe there are ten problems hiding for everyone they're able to see.
6. PAINT IT! If there is any question - paint it! Don't be mislead by the poor advice that the buyer may not like your color selections. Just choose a light neutral color and paint, paint, paint. Nothing will do more to improve the looks than a fresh coat of paint!
7. Safety first! Keep all stairways clear. Avoid cluttered appearances and possible injuries.
8. CARPET IT! Carpet does wonders for a house. It ties the rooms together and makes them appear larger. If you have carpeting, be sure it is clean and replace worn areas.
9. UNLOAD IT! Call the Salvation Army or the Goodwill. Unload those clothes and cupboards. Your closets will seem much larger if you remove the old clothes. Clean out the garage and store any extra furniture.
10. Make closets look bigger! Orderly closets show that space is ample.
11. Bathrooms help sell homes! Check and repair caulking around sinks and showers. Make them sparkle! Keep surfaces as clutter-free as possible.
12. Arrange bedrooms neatly! Remove excess furniture. Use attractive bedspreads and freshly laundered curtains. Put private memorabilia away.
13. Harmonize the elements. FM radio on softly. TV off! All lights on, day or night.
14. You can sell pride of ownership faster and for more money! It's called cleanliness, and cleanliness has more buyers than used dirt and clutter. Put sparkle in your bathrooms and kitchen and you'll take lots more silver out!