Home Sellers dread how much money they are going to have to spend to prepare their home for sale, so here is a list of the top 5 things to do to prepare your Tulsa home for sale - all for under $200.

1. De-Clutter. I’m clueless as to why the mere mention of de-cluttering makes home sellers’ eyes roll - like they have been assigned an insurmountable task. The ultimate goal is to sell your home and move. You are going to have to box up everything to vacate your home at some point, so why not do it before your home goes on the market? I advise home Sellers that “purging is good for the soul.” You’d be surprised what you have stored that you really may not want to take to your new home. So, get rid of it now.

And the purpose of de-cluttering is to make your home seem more spacious. Anything and everything that you can do to increase the visual square footage of your home is a plus. If your closet is bursting at the seams, a prospective Buyer may think the closet is not large enough to store THEIR clothes. As always, remove Buyer objections before they come up.

De-cluttering may include removing furniture, rugs, family photos and more. I’ve even seen kitchen pantries organized and de-cluttered and saw what a positive impression that made on a prospective buyer.

Don’t let this task overwhelm you. Take it room by room and divide items in to 3 piles: (1) trash; (2) donate, sell or give away; and (3) save or store. I think it’s fine to store boxes in the garage as long as buyers can still access the garage and see its space and features. But if you have a lot of furniture that needs to go, consider donating it or selling it.

Top 5 things under $200 to help sell your Tulsa Home

2. CLEAN your home. Nothing sells like sparkly clean - and I’m talking about a deep clean - clean baseboards, ceiling fans, windows, light fixtures - you catch my drift. Nothing will turn off a buyer faster than seeing air returns with dirty filters or seeing cob webs in any corner.

A clean home puts everyone in a positive mood and the impression you leave is that you care for and maintain your home well. So, get out the vinegar, wash rags and elbow grease and get to work! Solicit the help of friends and family if this task is overwhelming for you! Once my Mom brought over four girlfriends to help me clean my house - we shared a $13 box of wine and snacks and had an absolute blast - they were happy to help!

3. Landscape. Nothing makes that first impression better than a manicured front lawn with a few pops of color! Freshen up weed-ridden flower beds and add a few colorful flowers in season. If you don’t have money to purchase plants or flowers, at least add mulch to define the borders of your beds and prevent weeds from returning. A lot of weed-eating, tree-trimming and general lawn maintenance can go a long way in making your home look like it’s been done by a pro!

4. Power wash the exterior of your home. Again, nothing sells like sparkly clean, and the same goes for your home’s exterior as it does for your home interior. Think about the amount of time a Realtor and Buyers spend on your front porch while the Realtor opens the keybox and opens your door. You want your Buyers to be looking at a clean exterior - not one dulled by weather or covered in dirt and cobwebs. Power washers can be rented at most hardware stores, and they’re not that difficult to operate. So, spring clean - even if it’s autumn already!

5. Paint your front door and accessorize your porch. You wouldn’t go on a first date without wearing your best outfit, putting on make-up or styling your hair. So, why would you not go to the trouble of staging your home’s entry? Our front door is a beautiful carved dark wood, so I would remove scratches with a wood-cleaning product.

But, painting a door a trendy and inviting color can be the trick to making a welcoming impression! Is your mailbox bright and clean? I once purchased metal paint to cover a dated brass mailbox that looked ragged from use and weather. Do shutters need to be cleaned or painted? Would adding a chair with bright pillows make your porch seem more inviting? Depending on the season, a holiday or autumn wreath on the door may enhance the overall appeal, and I know you’ve already cleaned the glass on the storm door to be spotless!

I have a very long list of suggestions for home sellers to prepare their home for sale, but here is a great “top 5” list of things under $200 you and family can do together to help sell your Tulsa Home. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to do these basic, yet key tasks!

If you are interested in selling your home and would like me to preview it to give you additional tips, please do call to schedule an appointment! 918-852-5036

Content written and published by Lori Cain.

Copyright 2011 Lori Cain All Rights Reserved - Originally Posted at: Midtown Tulsa Real Estate - Lori Cain