MelsDeals.com

Let's face it, the real estate market is the pits in most places right now. And because of hard times many people are putting their house on the market. In one neighborhood, I recently drove through the other day, I spotted over a dozen houses on the market. Crazy!!

1. Realize that it is no longer YOUR home. You are getting rid of it and that means it isn't yours. So move on and get ready to move out now!! Your two best friends for selling your house are:

2. Declutter EVERY ROOM in the house, that includes closets.

3. Pack up all of your personal items: pictures, stuff on the frig, that ceramic thing your kid made in 2nd grade. But be careful to not over do it. Your house needs to look "homey and comfortable" not stark and sterile. So leave up general pictures-landscapes, fruit ect. Leave some decorative items on tables, shelves, dressers. Put away all the family pictures. Buyers need to picture themselves living in this house.

4. Do touch up paint in ALL rooms. NO bold colors-neutral is best in all rooms.

5. Less is best!! (WITH EVERYTHING!!)

In closets-only have the current season on hangers and in shoe racks, and use the same style hangers and try to have each hanger 1 finger width apart (put extra clothes for the season in a tub on the floor underneath hanging clothes, all others should be packed and stored else where)

Furniture-just the basics, and if it is dirty, clean it!

6. Flooring: if you are not replacing the floors make sure they are spotless, clean.

7. Shelves: again less is best.

8. Cabinets and Drawers: People WILL open them no matter what room they are in. Clean them out, only have exactly what is needed and if there is "personal" stuff put it in a basket with a lid.

9. When in doubt-throw it out!!

10. If it is broken-fix it. Broken things from tile to holes in the wall to outlets that don't work give the buyer a reason to offer you a lower price. FIX IT if it is less than a $100 item/per item.

We have sold 3 houses in the last 20 years: 1 sold in less than a month-staged, 1 took a lot longer with messy renters (rent your house out as a last resort!) empty house, 1 sold in 8 days-staged.

Staging works!!