Inventory of homes is fairly slim pickings at the start of this spring’s housing season. But that doesn’t mean you are in the driver’s seat entirely. Today’s homebuyers are picky, recession-scarred bunch, and they want to get serious value for their hard-earned money. Sellers need to not only price their homes competitively, but to prepare their homes well while selling. Here are some tips to sell your home:

Curb appeal

First impressions are everything, and you want to make sure and make it a good one! Clean up the landscaping and freshen up the flowers. Take down any tacky tidbits and decorative flags, and consider some color updates. One new coat of paint on the front door can make a big difference.

Depersonalize

To a point, buyer don’t want to see how you live and with whom you live. Take the wall of family photos down (or at least scale it back). The idea is to make potential buyers better able to picture themselves in your home. If you don’t have a generic taste in art, put it in storage. It doesn’t matter how pricy the pieces, buyers aren’t art experts, and their taste may not be yours.

Clean up

Don’t just make the beds, but de-clutter and minimize. You might like the stack of magazines on the table, buyers don’t. They aren’t interested in what you read. They might not agree with your fun pillow sayings. A little work and storage boxes can make a huge difference. If your house is already vacant, you might have a professional come in and stage your home with rented furniture and small touches. This typically runs $1000-2000.

Small projects = big returns

The big rule on selling-don’t do major renovations. You won’t get the money back in the sale price. Do some updates, especially in the kitchen and bath. Maybe you re-grout the tile, maybe it’s a new countertop or backsplash. Believe it or not, a new front door offers one of the highest returns.

Check for cracks

Check the foundation, stucco, interior walls and any structural area. Inspectors will come through and red flag this to potential buyers. Odds are it will cost you a lot less to fix it now than later, and you don’t want buyers negotiating repairs into the purchase price.

Keep it cool

Make sure your home is comfortable. It’s it’s hot out, make sure the air conditioning is on. The more comfortable buyers are, the longer they will stay. The longer they stay, the ore likely they are to buy your home!

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