First impressions mean a lot especially if you’re trying to sell your home. Time and effort should be invested into your house for the needed repairs and cleanup both inside and out. All homes can use some sprucing up and fixing, and with the right attitude and plan your house can go onto the market looking sharp and neat, and you can feel more confident that it will find that perfect buyer in a timely manner.

The outside appearance of your home can mean the difference between selling it or not. When trying to ready your house for showing it to potential buyers you need to become a curb appeal inspector so to speak. Curb appeal is how your home presents itself to the prospective buyer, and it is one of the key factors that will draw many people into looking at your house, and increasing the chances of selling your home. Remember too that not only will your front yard and house draw attention, but many lookers will often quickly pull into a driveway to see if they can see the perspective of the back. Your curb appeal should begin with a curb side view of how your house looks. View your house at different times of the day because light intensities will help you notice the different aspects that need attention. Go out into the road and approach your house and write down its positive and negative aspects. Take note of any repair and maintenance work that needs to be done, and look for ways to enhance the positive and improve the negative.

Once you have made a check list of the curb appeal begin with the overall maintenance of the yard both front and back. Drastic improvement can be seen by mowing, weed eating, raking, trimming trees, and eliminating blown trash from the road, or unsightly visible garbage cans. Take the time to power spray siding and brick, and any other concrete area outside your house. Look on top of your house and fix any loose shingles or hanging gutters or leaning vent pipes. Dirty screens and windows need to be cleaned too, and do a little polishing on mail boxes and front door house numbers. Window seals should be inspected for cracking, and dirty window boxes should be painted and replaced with new flowers for the season. Fenced areas whether wooden, metal or plastic should be inspected for dirt, cracking and peeling paint, and promptly fixed so your house will not present a run down and dingy look. Consider too that improvements can be made by eliminating obstructive views of your house, such as trees, poles or large unattractive lawn decorations too. New lighting fixtures add a warm glow for buyers at night. Approach maintenance work with the right view point of if it needs to be fixed it will be improved.

Moving from the outside to inside is the goal. Now that you are inside look around and become a home living inspector. Make your house as home friendly as it can be without the clutter. Organize and store unnecessary closet junk. Wipe down walls in mildew areas such as the kitchen, bathroom and laundry. Clean and organize their supply places and wipe off cabinets. Ceiling fans, lights and mirrors when cleaned will add a real glow to the inside, and will shine brightly outside, if you have done your proper outside curb inspection. Take down curtains and shades and clean according to directions. If necessary replace existing shades if they are to dirty to clean. Always save cleaning floors for last whether it is carpet, linoleum or tile. Don’t forget to spray an air neutralizer, and to leave the heating or cooling system on. Stale or smoke filled air will turn most potential buyers off. If your house smells clean buyers will know that you care, and in effect this means that your house will not sit on the market long because of buyer confidence.

Preparing your house to sell does not have to be an intimidating process. Start with a plan and stick to it. If necessary ask for others input, such as a realtor or friends and neighbors. Think deep cleaning and maintenance, and as you wait for your home to sell continue to keep up all the improvements you have made, so you will be closing on a new house in record time.

First impressions mean a lot especially if you’re trying to sell your home. Time and effort should be invested into your house for the needed repairs and cleanup both inside and out. All homes can use some sprucing up and fixing, and with the right attitude and plan your house can go onto the market looking sharp and neat, and you can feel more confident that it will find that perfect buyer in a timely manner.

The outside appearance of your home can mean the difference between selling it or not. When trying to ready your house for showing it to potential buyers you need to become a curb appeal inspector so to speak.  Curb appeal is how your home presents itself to the prospective buyer, and it is one of the key factors that will draw many people into looking at your house, and increasing the chances of selling your home. Remember too that not only will your front yard and house draw attention, but many lookers will often quickly pull into a driveway to see if they can see the perspective of the back. Your curb appeal should begin with a curb side view of how your house looks. View your house at different times of the day because light intensities will help you notice the different aspects that need attention. Go out into the road and approach your house and write down its positive and negative aspects. Take note of any repair and maintenance work that needs to be done, and look for ways to enhance the positive and improve the negative.

Once you have made a check list of the curb appeal begin with the overall maintenance of the yard both front and back. Drastic improvement can be seen by mowing, weed eating, raking, trimming trees, and eliminating blown trash from the road, or unsightly visible garbage cans. Take the time to power spray siding and brick, and any other concrete area outside your house. Look on top of your house and fix any loose shingles or hanging gutters or leaning vent pipes. Dirty screens and windows need to be cleaned too, and do a little polishing on mail boxes and front door house numbers. Window seals should be inspected for cracking, and dirty window boxes should be painted and replaced with new flowers for the season. Fenced areas whether wooden, metal or plastic should be inspected for dirt, cracking and peeling paint, and promptly fixed so your house will not present a run down and dingy look. Consider too that improvements can be made by eliminating obstructive views of your house, such as trees, poles or large unattractive lawn decorations too. New lighting fixtures add a warm glow for buyers at night. Approach maintenance work with the right view point of if it needs to be fixed it will be improved.

Moving from the outside to inside is the goal. Now that you are inside look around and become a home living inspector. Make your house as home friendly as it can be without the clutter. Organize and store unnecessary closet junk. Wipe down walls in mildew areas such as the kitchen, bathroom and laundry. Clean and organize their supply places and wipe off cabinets. Ceiling fans, lights and mirrors when cleaned will add a real glow to the inside, and will shine brightly outside, if you have done your proper outside curb inspection. Take down curtains and shades and clean according to directions. If necessary replace existing shades if they are to dirty to clean. Always save cleaning floors for last whether it is carpet, linoleum or tile. Don’t forget to spray an air neutralizer, and to leave the heating or cooling system on. Stale or smoke filled air will turn most potential buyers off.   If your house smells clean buyers will know that you care, and in effect this means that your house will not sit on the market long because of buyer confidence.

Preparing your house to sell does not have to be an intimidating process. Start with a plan and stick to it. If necessary ask for others input, such as a realtor or friends and neighbors. Think deep cleaning and maintenance, and as you wait for your home to sell continue to keep up all the improvements you have made, so you will be closing on a new house in record time.

Just as there are many things you can do to improve your chances of selling your house at a great price, there is an equal number of things that will drive away potential buyers and leave you scratching your head.

If you are working with a realtor, he or she will be able to make suggestions on how to make your particular home more saleable, but addressing the following problem areas is always a great place to start.

A smelly house is not an attractive house to potential buyers. The problem with odors such as cigarette smoke and pet smells is that you live with them day in and day out and may not notice them. To an outsider, however, the smell will be pungent and noticeable. You can get rid of these odors by smoking outside, keeping litter boxes fresh and in a contained area, repainting walls, shampooing and steam-cleaning carpets and opening your windows to let in fresh air. Don’t try to cover odors with an air freshener without taking steps to eliminate the problem; it won’t work and your house will still be smelly and unwelcoming to potential buyers. Removing odors from mold and mildew can be a little tougher and may require professional intervention if the affected area is not easily accessible (between walls for example).

Pets: you love them and think of them as part of the family. Your potential buyer may not share your sentiment, so like other members of the family, your furry companions should not be on site while someone is inspecting your house. Pile everyone in the family vehicle, or crate your pets in the yard so potential buyers can look around without being barked at, snarled at or pounced on.

Bathrooms are associated with hygiene, so unclean bathrooms are a major turn-off for most buyers. Make sure your toilet, tub, and sink are sparkling clean and that the drains are clear and free of wet hair and other odor-trapping debris. Shine your faucets and mirrors, de-clutter the medicine chest, empty the trash pail and launder your towels, shower curtain and floor mats.

Dark rooms look dingy and uninviting. Increase the brightness factor of your rooms by adding brighter bulbs (if appropriate), installing extra fixtures, or by placing accent lamps or cabinet lighting throughout the room. An even simpler fix is to pull back heavy curtains and lift your blinds. Trimming low-hanging branches from nearby trees can also help.

Busy wallpaper is a no-no. Too many patterns can be distracting and can date your décor. Consider removing busy wallpaper, but don’t paint over it because that will look even worse.

Wet basements are a cause for concern as they can indicate foundation leaks. More often however, damp basements are a sign of poor ventilation, plugged drains, or improperly positioned downspouts. Remove any mold or mildew that may have appeared as a result of dampness.

Bugs; they’re usually harmless, but still an obstacle to home sales. Squash what you can, clear cobwebs, and enlist professional help if you have an infestation.

Low curb appeal can discourage potential buyers from taking a closer look at your home. Spruce up your yard, entry and façade. Make sure your paint isn’t peeling, and that gardens look their best, even if out of season. Bicycles, lawn mowers and tools should be neatly stored in a shed or in the garage if necessary.

Plugged Gutters. Potential buyers may not notice blocked gutters during an initial showing, but they will turn up during a professional building or home inspection, which could be the difference between a conditional sale going ahead or not.

Clear out when someone is looking at your house. Potential buyers may feel awkward looking around your house if you are hovering over their shoulder. Working with a realtor to sell your house eliminates this problem, as they act as chaperone during the showing without intimidating your buyer.

Most of these fixes are simple and inexpensive to implement, yet can have a major impact on the saleability of your house. If possible, address any of the issues that are present in your home before you list it for sale.

A home is more than a place to live. It also represents a major financial investment. Most of us will buy and sell several homes over the course of our lifetime, so it is important to consider the resale potential of each home you purchase —before you buy it.

Consider your intentions when you go looking for a new or new-to-you home. Are you searching for your dream home, a place you hope to hang your coat for a long time? Or perhaps you are looking for smaller, lower-maintenance place to ease you into retirement? Maybe you’ve spotted a hot market and are hoping to turn a profit with a fast buy and a fast sell sometime in the near future. Your plans for your new house and how long you intend to stay there can affect its re-sale potential. For example, the trendy new neighborhood where your house is located may not be so trendy and popular ten years from now.

Regardless of your intentions, there are several other factors that will affect the re-sale potential of your home. First among these is location. You’ve probably seen house-for-sale advertisements boasting about a home’s location, and it’s true, location is very important. Today’s preferred location may not be the same five or ten years from now, but many of the elements that make it desirable will be the same. Large lots, mature trees, wide sidewalks, proximity to schools, shopping and public transit are all features that increase an area’s lasting appeal and will therefore fetch higher re-sale prices than homes in areas that do not offer the same advantages. When thinking about location, you should also consider the population and economic growth trends in your city or town, and in which direction growth appears to be moving.

Demographics can also come into play when it comes to home re-sale value. With baby boomers heading into retirement and their ‘golden years’, one-level homes with wide passage ways and rooms large enough to accommodate wheelchairs may become more popular in certain areas, while suburbs filled with young families may put more of an emphasis on large yards and ample public green space and playground facilities. Try to learn about a town or city’s population before you purchase a home there.

Be aware of the features that sell. Peruse local real estate advertising to find out the most desirable attributes in the area in which you want to buy. You may notice that homes with one bathroom sell for less than homes that have more bathrooms, or that homes with old, inefficient windows sell for less than those with newer, vinyl-clad windows and energy-efficient panes. The same can be said about a variety of features including closets, number of bedrooms, fireplaces, swimming pools and kitchen functionality. Don’t despair, however, if a dated or less desirable home is all you can afford: outdated houses present an opportunity for renovations and upgrades that can vastly increase their value and re-sale potential. With a small investment and a little work, you can turn a fixer-upper into cash in your bank account. The profit margin increase can be significant enough to justify enlisting the help of a professional to help with major projects.

A residential building inspector can also help you identify the ‘shelf life’ of a home you are considering buying. A thorough inspection report will give estimates on the lifespan of major home components such as the roof, furnace and driveway. If several of these components are reaching maturity at or near the time you want to sell, the re-sale potential of the home could be devalued as a result of the impending repairs. Take these timelines into consideration if you plan on moving in the near future, or if your cash flow will be compromised during the same period in which upgrades will become necessary.

Buying a house should be about meeting your needs and desires, but a little forward-thinking can mean an easier sell, and even a profit, a few years in the future if your needs change or you want to move on. A purchase designed to meet your current needs while accommodating future re-sale potential is a smart investment that will help you fund a bigger, better house when the time comes, or to create a little nest egg for future investments or retirement. Considering the re-sale value of a home before you buy it takes little effort but produces great routines – all in all, a logical thing to do.

If you’re considering selling your home with out the use of a realtor, then you need to understand that there are conditions backed by laws of the state and federal government governing the sale of your home. By following the rules and regulations you will save yourself money, time and later possible unpleasant legal ramifications. All of these conditions must be investigated and settled before you attempt to advertise your home for sale. Ideally make sure you understand first the full responsibility of selling your home independently before you place your home on the open market, and realize that this is the first step in the process of home selling.

Most states in the US require that if you’re selling your home whether through a real estate agent or as a FSBO (For Sale by Owner) you must give to a potential home buyer a Seller Disclosure of Property Conditions form. This form discloses information about your property that would affect the living conditions or the resale able value of the home. Disclosure of property conditions includes any past or current problems with the property. Check out the different categories of property disclosure, and make sure that you list the necessary information required under each one. This list may or may not include issues that you would need to be concerned about, so make sure to check with your state and local agencies for complete information.

House Systems – Includes areas such as plumbing, electrical, appliances, doors and windows, security system, pool, sprinklers, sump pumps, cooling and heating.

Foundations/Structures/ Basements – Includes leaking and repair issues and drainage problems surrounding the house.

Roof – Includes age, leaking and repair issues, second and new roof installation, time frame of roof repairs, and when or how often the roof leaks.

Land/Drainage – Includes soil permeability issues such as drainage or flooding problems, or are there any other water sources such as a lake, spring or creek.

Boundaries – Includes survey issues such as boundaries of property line, markage of known property lines by what means, such as moveable property stakes as rocks or trees. The allowable property easements for your area, as well as any other obstructions to property such as encroachments by other property owners.

Water – Includes source of water and water pressure issues, and purification systems and tests conducted on water quality.

Sewer System – Includes how property is serviced for sewage waste, such as septic, public utilities or cess pool. Dates of inspection and known sewer problems.

Construction/Remolding - Includes information on any new buildings or remolding to existing structure, and the necessary building permits.

Homeowner’s Association – Includes information of any homeowner’s association rules and guidelines.

Miscellaneous – Includes many areas to numerous to list, but some areas of information encompasses testing for radon gases, termite damage, abandoned under ground storage areas such as septic tanks or cisterns. Issues such as warranties, legal actions, or weather related damage such as tornadoes.

Just as important as you’re state and local laws is the federal laws that regulate selling your home. Two issues of primary importance are disclosing lead paint and the conformity to the fair housing laws. According to federal law you must disclose if your home was built or remodeled before 1978. This law was passed and is now enforced by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) because of test results that show that lead based paints can cause detrimental affects on human health, especially in babies and small children. Lagging mental function and stunted growth can occur if sufficient amounts of lead based paints are consumed or particles inhaled. Disclosure of test results and the opportunity to test is federal law. Also, fair housing laws require adherence to the selling of your house, although if selling as FSBO the regulations are a bit more lax. The Fair Housing Act, under the Civil Rights Act of 1968, requires that sellers may not discriminate when selling a property. Discrimination is not allowed based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familiar or handicapped status.

Another area to consider before you advertise your house for sale is how to weed out the lookers among the potential serious buyers for your home. Many FSBOs can request that buyers become pre-approved by a financial institution before a bid will be accepted. During the home tour you can set parameters too by inquiring on the buyer’s ability to quickly obtain financing. You might not want to wait while they must sell their house first in order to buy your house in a timely manner.

Sticky decisions concerning the contract should fully spell out the conditions of the sale, such as any deposits that are required and the ability of the buyer to have their deposit returned. Protection is provided to both when a contract is clearly written for both parties, as for example the ability of you to keep any monies from a buyer that backs out because of an unjust cause. Always make sure to consult an attorney when writing up your contract to sell your home. Remember too that laws fluctuate from state to state and being prepared is the best defense against an unsold home.