An uncluttered entrance is essential. Your driveway and the walkway to your front door should be free of clutter and debris. If you have shrubs, they need to be trimmed so that they don’t cover the windows or branch out into the pathway to your door.

Small details matter. An attractive porch light enhances your home. A mail box at the street or one that is attached to your house should look good. If the one you have is faded. dented, or has paint peeling off of it, replace it. The same is true for house numbers. They need to be easy to read and in good condition. If you let the little things go, a possible buyer might take that as a sign that you tend to neglect other aspects of home upkeep.

If space allows, create an inviting sitting area in your yard. All you need is a bench or a couple of chairs and a table to add appeal to your yard. If weather permits, add some flowers. Flowers in attractive containers are a quick way to liven up a yard.

Potential buyers may drive by your home in the evening. Adding solar lights will make your yard more noticeable. Lights along the walkway are always affective. A well lit garage entrance would also be appealing.

Your first priority should be to clear the clutter from your home, cabinets, drawers, and closets included. If that means packing up some of your personal items and placing them in storage then do so. You want your home to look as spacious as possible.

A fresh coat of paint can totally revitalize a room. If you have painted rooms in extremely bright colors that appeal to you, repaint them in neural tones that have a more universal appeal. Remove personal photos from your walls. Pack away collectibles and toys. If you share your home with a pet, remove the evidence before showing your home. While you love your pet and consider it a family member, buyers often frown on the presence of pets inside the home they are thinking of buying.

Make every room live up to its maximum potential. Buyers want bedrooms. If you have turned a bedroom into a storage room or exercise room, remove the items and stage it as a bedroom. You can rent furniture to do this. Create an inviting eating area. Make your bathrooms look as spacious and updated as possible. Kitchen cabinets can be updated simply by changing the hardware.

Make the exterior of your home visually appealing. Keep the yard maintained. Make use of flowers, plants, outdoor furniture and outdoor lighting to add curb appeal to your home. If you have a deck or patio, make it an extension of your living space.

We’ve all heard the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That little nugget has some teeth doesn’t it? It certainly doesn’t fall short on applicable scenarios. And somewhere in the top 10, I would bet, is, “Staging your home for sale.”

If you’re trying to impress a prospective buyer, it makes sense to start with what they see first — the curbside appeal. You may not have the budget to do a major overhaul, but cleaning, painting and adding some greenery to your front yard can set the tone for a more inviting, appealing space.

Never Underestimate the Power of the Paint Can

If you’re looking for an inexpensive transformation, look no further than your nearest paint can. Adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls can instantly add brightness, space, charm and a brand new look and feel to any room in your home. It’s the ultimate optical illusion.

Clean and De-clutter

Stock up on the trash bags and get busy! Start throwing away or moving anything that doesn’t belong in each room. Getting rid of junk and clutter will have one of the biggest effects on your home staging efforts, bar none.

Go Back to Basics

Got the bright idea two years ago to convert the living room into all things gaming? Your next prospective buyer may not be so inclined. Arrange your home so that all rooms are being shown as originally intended when built.

Remove Yourself

Help your buyer to see themselves, not you, in your space. Remove all pictures, plaques, awards, mementos, artwork and loose clothing. Think “showroom floor”. This is no time to express yourself. Make every room as simple and generic as possible so that your home has appeal to the widest audience.

1. Check your bulbs twice. – Home lighting is quite possibly the most effective way to sell your home. When a buyer looks through your home for the first time it’s an exploration and as such they are trying to see every detail during their first trip (and impression) of your home. If a buyer spots a burned out bulb or is unable to see all the space in a closet because the lights don’t work then they deduct the perceived loss of square footage and needed maintenance from your asking price. Stop this top objection in its tracks by replacing all of your burned out bulbs before putting your home on the market.

2. Clean the gutters. – How your home looks on the outside is 50% of the buyer’s first impression. If the buyer walks up to the front door and sees gutters weighed down by leaves and other debris it triggers thoughts of deferred maintenance and future home structure problems. A home buyer does not want to inherit a home seller’s problems so cleaning the gutters and ensuring they are not sagging will clear the path to a successful home tour.

3. Pack your family photos and awards before putting your home on the market. – Your home is your home. It’s a very personal space but once you have decided to put your home on the market you have to take into consideration that home buyers are trying to see this as being their next home. Family photos and awards, all great things to have, should be packed before you put your home on the market to avoid creating visual breakers when a buyer tours your home.

4. Clear the counter space. – There are two types of real estate a buyer considers when looking at your home. The first is the home and property the home resides on and the second is usefulness of the interior space of your home. Kitchens are the heart of the home and as such the buyers want to know that there will always be room to grow in that space. Clear away non-essential counter appliances and kitchen accessories to give off the impression of more space for the buyer’s dollar.

5. Get the carpets cleaned professionally. – Carpets are beautiful and make for great floor surfaces but if you haven’t had them cleaned since you moved in then you should have it done before putting your home on the market. Dogs, kids and the elements of nature all make their mark on carpeting over the years and the last thing buyers want to do when buying a home is take on a large project like carpet replacement after they move in.

6. Paint high traffic spaces. – High traffic spaces are the best places to find dings and marks on the walls which look like deferred maintenance but are in reality the consequence of daily wear and tear. Patch and paint the walls in high traffic spaces.

7. Define your rooms! -Buyers have imaginations but not when they are looking at homes. When selling your home the dining room can no longer be the home office and the living room cannot be the catch-all play area and living space. Clearly interpret what your home has to offer to buyers so they don’t deduct points (and dollars) when writing an offer for your home.

At its most simple, home staging is about setting the right mood for prospective buyers. By decorating and arranging a home’s interior to present an ideal way of life, buyers are assisted in visualizing themselves in your home. Whether you undertake the process of staging your own home or decide to consult a professional, there are a number of different “props” that may be used around the home. For example, to add a vibrant sense of life to the home, many home staging professionals recommend using different types of potted plants and arrangements of flowers and fruit. Throughout the home, they tend to utilize soft, luxurious fabrics – such as satin, lamb’s wool and silk – to create an atmosphere of comfort. This process can also extend to the exterior of the property, where patio furniture can be added in the backyard and colorful flowers or unique accessories outside the front door.

Many home staging professionals come from interior design or art-related backgrounds. Hence, when working on staging a home for sale, these professionals utilize a number of visual tricks to capture the attention of potential buyers. For instance, furniture is always arranged very carefully to simulate the ideal living space. In living rooms, home staging professionals often use loveseats and ottomans in lieu of large couches to create the illusion of added space. Likewise, mirrors are often placed throughout a staged home to make the living area seem larger to potential buyers. In areas where you hope to focus a buyer’s attention – like a hand built stone fireplace or a remodeled kitchen – staging professionals can place unique artwork or accessories to catch the eye.

One of the most important steps in home staging is the exchange of your personal decorations with more neutral furnishings. Beyond replacing family pictures with more design-friendly items, a successful home staging will attempt to eliminate any idiosyncratic tastes and represent a living space that has broad appeal. Though this process may feel like a slight on your family’s home, you should hardly take offense. This commonly used tactic simply helps potential buyers view the property not as someone else’s home, but as something they can call their own.

Most real estate experts claim that home staging is especially important when the home is empty. Without any furniture or amenities, even a home for sale in the most attractive area can make potential buyers feel uncomfortable. If you are trying to sell your home and have already moved out, you may want to consider working with your agent to stage the home’s interior. With the assistance of your agent and a home staging professional, you could quickly transform a lifeless house into dream home.