For whatever reason, you have decided to sell your home.
The one thing that matters most is; the quicker you sell it the more money you will be able to keep.
Holding costs, and waiting to get on with your life can consume you.
So, you want to do everything you can to make your home sell as quickly as possible, even if you do not have a lot of extra money to spend on fixing the place up before you put it on the market.
You will want to focus on the things that you can do for under $1,000 that will make the greatest impact on potential buyers.
Tidy Up The first thing is to be sure your house is clean and tidy.
Be sure to keep the kitchen and bathrooms clean and pick up the clutter throughout the house.
Put it in boxes in the garage if you need to, but get it out of the way so your buyers can walk around and see your home.
Its OK for it to look lived in, but filth and clutter will turn off any prospective buyer before they can really see the value of your home.
This won't really cost you any money just a little time and effort.
Paint the walls and ceilings A fresh coat of paint will work wonders and you can get all your supplies for less than $500.
It will not only make your home look bright and clean, but fresh paint will cover orders that linger on walls and ceilings.
If you are concerned about the new paint smell, try lighting some candles around the house about 30 minutes before you show it to potential buyers.
Baking cookies works well too! So, go to your local home improvement store and buy your wall paint in five gallon buckets.
If you shop around you can buy a 5 gallon bucket of paint for the typical price of 2 or 3-one gallon cans.
It's much cheaper that way.
One of the top stores sells a contractors brand that will work fine.
I would suggest Antique White with a satin finish for bedrooms and semi-gloss for bathrooms and kitchens.
The Antique White will give the home a warm but neutral color and not be offensive to any potential buyer regardless of their preference.
Plus, if a buyer wants to repaint they will understand that coving a neutral color will not be a problem.
Prepare your walls and ceilings.
If you have stains or dark colored walls, you should pre-treat those with a stain blocker or hide primer over dark colors.
Secret Tip #1: if a stain is oily (like grease or crayon) use a latex base blocker; if a stain is water based (like a water stain), then use an oil based blocker.
The key here is that if you use a blocker with the same properties as the stain it will dissolve the stain and allow it to bleed through your new paint instead of sealing it underneath.
If you have painted door and window trim in your home, you should be sure it is in good shape.
If it's dirty, clean it.
If it's nicked (not natural wood) paint it.
For the trim, I recommend latex glossy white.
This will contrast well with the Antique White for a rich crisp look and be easy to keep clean.
Secret Tip #2: If you have any moldy spots, like in the basement or in the bathroom, be sure to get rid of the water source, next mix up a little chlorine bleach (about 50/50) with water and spray the moldy area.
Dry it with a fan before applying a stain blocker and paint.
Now let's go outside.
Be sure the outside of your house is tidy as well.
Rake the leaves; pick up sticks, trash, and toys from the yard.
Let's keep it clean.
Trim your shrubs so they look tended, and in warm weather, if you have room or the desire, you can always plant a few flowers to brighten things up, but don't go overboard.
Next, look at your house from the curb and from the back yard.
How does it look to you? If you see, chipped paint or missing siding or a cracked storm window, get busy.
Curb appeal is the first impression a potential buyer has of your home.
Most buyers will drive buy or look at your listing pictures before they decide to make an appointment to see the inside of your house.
If they get turned off before they get to the door, then its going to be a harder sell.
You want to build their anticipation of how nice the inside now looks.
Selling your home can be a stressful time just like a blind date, so take some time to make a good first impression on your potential buyers.