How To Get Your Home Ready to Sell Get your home ready to sell. Tour the house with notebook in hand, then make needed updates and repairs before you show the home to potential home buyers. Here's How: 1. Keep the lawn neatly cut and place trash containers and other similar items out of sight. Good curb appeal is an important part of the home selling process, so your goal should be to make home buyers stop and say 'Wow!' 2. Most home buyers like an interior with lots of natural lighting. Trim trees and shrubs to make sure they do not obscure views or keep light from streaming through windows. 3. Touch up exterior paint if necessary. Faded or chipped exterior paint is an immediate buyer turnoff. New paint is not a quick-fix, but is a great way to add appeal and increase market value. 4. Make the front entrance of your home clean and attractive. The entry should be spotless and freshly painted if necessary. Buy a new doormat. Add a wreath or other decorating elements. 5. Make windows sparkle, inside and out. Clean your home's skylights, because buyers always inspect skylights and sun tunnels. 6. Remove debris from gutters. Point downspouts away from the foundation. 7. Inspect your home's closets (buyers will). Do a general cleanup and remove items to make closets appear more spacious. 8. Keep bathrooms clean and orderly. 9. Clean the kitchen thoroughly, leaving very few items on the countertops. Don't forget to keep your appliances clean at all times. That includes your refrigerator. Don't let buyers see moldy food sitting in the fridge--they'll wonder what other part of the house you might neglect. 10. Paint interior rooms if they are dingy. Neutral colors are usually a good choice, but don't feel you have to cover up an existing, dramatic color scheme. 11. Clean the carpets. Wax wood floors. Keep all floors spotless. 12. Make sure all doorknobs and cabinet pulls are clean and in working order. 13. Repair leaky faucets. Make sure stools flush properly. 14. Once the property is in shape, invest a little time each day to keep it fresh and clean. Tips: 1. Many buyers refuse to enter a house that appears unkempt on the outside. Agents will encourage them to keep an appointment out of courtesy, but if you're marketing the home yourself, buyers might simply drive on by. 2. Odors are the first thing buyers notice when they walk into a home. Tobacco, mildew, pet, and other odors should be eliminated completely before you list the property. 3. Taking time to get the house ready to sell is an important way to show buyers you care about the home and its condition. What You Need: * cleaning supplies * shrubbery trimmers * plastic garbage bags * lawnmower &Mac183; storage boxes