20 Easy Things to Make Your Home Sell Faster

21 QUICK and easy THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR HOME SELL QUICKER.

When it’s time to sell your home, the little things do make a difference. Thankfully, little fixes usually take little time. If you’re getting ready to sell your home, or if your home is already listed but not selling, these easy, quick adjustments are effective and can be done in 10minutes or less.

1. Dust/clean – everything. Dust bunnies don’t sell homes. Clean suggests "well kept".
2. Change out your welcome mat. A fresh, new mat provides a warm welcome and can make the home feel updated. This adds to a good first impression.
3. Make your bed. Crumpled sheets are a no-no during a home tour or open house.
4. Clean off your counters – this goes for your kitchen and your bathrooms. “Take everything off the kitchen counters that you don’t use every day.  Also, hide away dish soap and sponges (Buyers don’t want to think about washing dishes).  They want to dream about entertaining in your gorgeous kitchen. Add one pretty decorative items to the kitchen counters and you’re done.
5. De-clutter! The point is to emphasize how much space you have, not how much stuff you have. Less "stuff" in an area makes that ares look bigger and more open.
6. Wax/polish your wood floors. A good product can hide a multitude of sins. So can throw rugs. Get some tips from Better Homes and Gardens.
7. Fold everything nicely in your linen closet. Making it look tidy will help buyers feel confident that there is enough storage. Oh, and they WILL look in your closets.
8. Do a light bulb check. A simple thing like a burned-out bulb could be a deal killer if a buyer jumps to the conclusion that other things in the house may have been overlooked. And buyers jump to conclusions All the time!
9. Take the risqué stuff out of your medicine cabinet or bathroomdrawer. People will open them. And they will judge you.
10. Turn on the lights. All of them. If people are coming to tour your home, make it easy for them to see it. You don’t want them having to traverse the living room to try and figure out how to turn on the overhead light. If it’s not bright enough, switch your bulbs to the highest wattage allowed.  Walking into a dark home will feel like walking into a cave. Again, first impressions!
11. Anchor your rugs. One slip by a visitor and you might be facing a lawsuit.
12. Clean your toilets. People will notice them.
13. While you’re at it, put out fresh towels. If a potential buyer has to wipe her hands on a towel with a makeup stain on it, she’s no longer a potential buyer.
14. Pick up the poop. What your dog does in the yard can dump a deal if it ends up on a buyer’s shoe.
15. Put the toys away. A couple of large baskets are all you need to make a play room look tidy. If a few aren’t enough to corral your kids toys, keep your little one’s favorites in the room and store the rest in a box in the garage.
16. Relocate your clothes and shoes. You can make it easy by choosing off-season items and packing them away in boxes in the garage. (Your going to be moving anyway, so start the packing now!) Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of.  Take half the stuff out of your closets then neatly organize what’s left in there. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy.”
17. Get rid of the stink. I know, no one thinks their house is stinky. But if you have animals, or teenagers, chances are your home has it's own smells, which can be a real turn-off for unfamiliar buyers.  Fortunately, there are easy steps you can take to de-stink. First, remove the biggest offenders (cat box, boys’sneakers). Then, spray soft surfaces with Febreze. Now, spread plug-in fragrance in strategic areas. Don't forget the carpets!
18. Do a wall check. Are all your pictures straight? Crooked art on the walls seems like a small, insignificant thing. But anything negative that potential buyers can get fixated on is something you want to address. Especially when it will only take you a few minutes to fix.
19. Fluff your pillows. The idea is to create an inviting environment that buyers will walk into and want to spend time in.
20. De-personalize it. Make a sweep and gather up family photos, mementos, and anything else that could draw attention away from the space.  Buyers want to imagine themselves living there, if your stuff prevents them from doing that, they is not be interested to purchase your home.
21. Focus on the front. Try sprucing up your home’s curb appeal.  Buyers make up their mind in the first 30 seconds as they approach the front door. Clean it up…trim foliage and takeout dead plantings and mulch. Mulch is cheap!

Also, check out What NOT to do when selling your home. (Upgrading don'ts)