Make sure you first impression is your best impression

In a tough real estate market it is even more important to make sure your home is seen at its best. Here are a few tips to help anyone with a home for sale make the most of each opportunity.

#1 Fix things. If you have any imperfections like a crack in the tile, a faucet that drips, or paint that needs touching up. Make sure to take care of these things. Moving into a new home puts a lot of things on the buyers mind and home maintenance when they first move in one they would prefer not to have to do.

#2 Remove Personal Clutter. It is hard to not live in your home while you are selling it but the truth is the more you can make it like a model home the better it will be received the the potential buyer. Go to a model home and look and see what they do. They hire professionals to make the home look inviting. No mail on the counters, no refrigerator magnets, and no family photos. If you can remove one half of your "stuff" you'll be close to creating that model home look. Notice the difference between the shelves at Kmart and Macy's. The selves at Macy's just seem to be more expansive and clutter free.

#3 Polish the door knob. People form first impressions of everything. The first impression of your home will be formed when they prospective buyers pull in front of the home. Stains in the driveway, weeds in the mulch beds or cobwebs around the door entrance help set the stage for a poor impression. Freshen up the mulch, apply a fresh coat of paint on the door and trim to help create a positive first impression.

If you can follow these three rules your home will present itself much better to anyone who is consider buying it. You have to move your "stuff" anyway so boxing some up now will save you time later.