Tips and Tricks on Making Your Home Show Well to Potential Buyers

When potential buyers are deciding on a house to purchase it is an emotional decision. They are looking at your house as a potential place to build their home. Your house may be in excellent condition and may have many wonderful features but if it is cluttered and outdated in its decor it will devalue your sale. Open up your house to showcase its unique attributes. Show off that picture window or cozy fireplace. Buyers want space. Many people have too much furniture in a room and it detracts from the overall feeling a new owner will get from their first walk through.

De-cluttering is a vital part of your preparation, and is in most cases FREE. Before you put your home on the market walk through it and determine the things you don't want to move. Have a yard sale and get rid of the stuff that is taking up space. I'm sure your Aunt Mildred loves to see the knick knacks she gave you for Christmas in 1980 but they have to go.Things you want to keep but don't add to the airy feel can be boxed up and stored neatly in a garage or shed.

Your house is more than just a brick and mortar building it is a refuge from a hard days work and it is place where memories are made. Your home will soon become someone else's home and they need to see themselves and their lifestyle fitting into the space. A home is the way a house feels when you walk into it. Many things add to the emotional experience for buyers when determining to purchase such as the way it smells... the lighting... the colours on the walls... the space for their prized possessions and the potential to change things. You homes appeal to buyers begins at the curb. Stand in front of your house and declutter your yard. Make sure the lawn is mowed and fertilized, remove old flower pots, toys, piles of junk and anything that is cumbersome. Overgrown and woody shrubs give a sense that the house has been neglected and need to be trimmed or removed.

Do not have shrubs overgrowing windows it detracts from the natural lighting inside and makes the house seem crowded. Make sure all gardening tools and hoses are out of site. If your are selling in the spring or summer invest in some inexpensive flowers and mulch to give your home a bit of colour. Choose a colour palette and stick with a couple coordinating colours. Mulch is very inexpensive and can hide a number of imperfections. Window Boxes and hanging baskets are lovely accents if not overdone, too many can be distracting. You may want to power wash the outside of your home to remove stains, spiderwebs and other clutter giving it the feel of a fresh coat of paint. A welcoming front door can be spruced up with a coat of paint and a nice wreath. A door can be painted in an accent colour like black or cranberry depending on your exterior for a fresh modern look.

The first impression of the actual house is at the entry. This impression is critical in shaping the buyers attitude throughout the showing. Invest in a simple classic welcome mat. Stains, scuffs, scratches and spots are also a form of clutter and should be eliminated. You can rub a stain over scuffed or scratched woodwork or touch up paint scuffs and spots by a quick coat of paint. Make sure the Foyer is clear of shoes, coats and excess items on the wall. A simple table with a vase of flowers or a painting is a simple focal point welcoming visitors. The way a house smells when you enter adds to the sensual experience. A clean house smells fresh. It doesn't smell like last nights dinner or strong cleansers. It smells of flowers, home baking or crisp linen. Burning scented candles or simmering cinnamon and orange peels on the stove prior to a showing will add an extra level to the perception of your home.

Living spaces should be sparsely furnished to appear larger and lighter. A garage or offsite storage unit can hold excess furnishings. Large pieces such as drums kits, oversized plants, telescopes and exercise equipment can be moved out to open up the space. NEVER cover windows with furniture. Furniture should never block traffic patterns or doorways and NEVER have wires snaking through the living area.

Try to limit the personal effects in a room such as photographs, magazines or trophies, buyers need to envision themselves in this space. These items can be very overwhelming in a small room and actually bother some buyers. Bookshelves add a warm touch to a room and when the books are placed neatly with spines facing out and a few laying horizontal are a nice back drop for a few art pieces. Open the blinds or curtains and leave a few lamps on for ambient lighting.

The kitchen is the heart of the home and plays an important part in attracting the heart of a buyer. This is an active area that needs special attention. Cabinetry should be clean and if they require a fresh coat of paint or stain it is a must to do. New cabinet pulls are an easy way to update the room and make the kitchen feel fresh and new. Remove excess pots and pans, phone books, small appliances, etc. as these things make the kitchen seem smaller and covers workspace. DO NOT have frige clutter such as notes or pictures or multiple magnets. Clear countertops and add a few back drop items such as candles or decorative pieces. Remove trash containers and tidy under the sink.One final thing to consider if you have ceramic tiles in your kitchen, or any tile with a grout line, is to step back and see if those grout lines are dark or black. I've seen a lot of kitchens with light coloured tiles that have black grout lines. This really draws the eye down to the problem and makes the overall kitchen look dated or old. Consider having a professional come in to steam clean those grout lines. For a couple of hundred dollars you will be amazed at the difference it makes.

When decluttering bathrooms keep in mind to give this room a sense of elegance or romance. Put everyday items such as toothbrushes, toilet brushes, soap, razors etc. in a container under the vanity sink or away in a closet. Decorate with fresh soaps, flowers, bowls or designer pieces. Invest in new towels and fold them neatly. Never leave medicines, money, jewellry or personal items of this type on display.

Bedrooms should appear peaceful and serene. Sparsely furnished is best. Use your best duvets or comforters or invest in new ones if yours are worn. Clear off bedside tables, and add back just a few books or simple art piece. Bedside lamps add a warm ambience for showings. Remove excess paintings or photos from the walls. In some cases, old curtains do more harm than good. Take them down and clean the windows for a fresh look. Children's bedrooms usually need to be simplified. Take down posters and box up toys. Simple and classic is always best.

Organize closets and pantries with everything facing forward. Remove excess food and containers. Pack up items that are not needed and store them away to add to the feeling of organizational space. Laundry rooms and mud rooms often functions as a spill over areas that tend to get cluttered with with junk on the shelves. Clear everything out, and have just a few soap boxes visible.

One final tip, and maybe the biggest bang for your buck, is to go through your house and look at the light bulbs you are currently using. Those energy saving bulbs are great for living in but not so good for selling a home. Change the low wattage or energy saving bulbs to brighter ones. This will make your home appear larger and brighter. Both very important things to home buyers. Your house is on the market to become someone else's home and just as you will search for your next home to build your memories, potential buyers are looking to do the same.