Selling your home? Before you undertake major renovations, look at your home from an objective point of view and have a frank discussion with your REALTOR about the changes necessary to ensure a quick and profitable sale. We hope the following list will help you begin.

1. Remove all clutter. Visually simplify each room. Get rid of toys, books, magazines and personal pictures. Let a purchaser imagine their decor in your home. Don't let a prospective Buyer cross your home off their list because they don't like your decorating style.
2. Clean the house and keep it that way. Make it sparkle!  A clean home shows the Buyers that you take pride in your home. Clean all your corners and vents and don't forget the tile in the bathrooms!
3. Go through the whole house, especially the basement and search for cobwebs. Sweep down the walls and the high ceilings and corners for spider webs. Show prospective Buyers that you care for your home!
4. Do everything to make it inviting. Check your lighting. Make sure all your light bulbs work and make sure their levels are set higher than normal. A brightly lit home not only looks more spacious but feels more welcome.  
5. Be careful of pet smells. Clean the litter box frequently and make sure that there are no presents in the back yard for anyone to step in.
6. Get some flowers. Pungent spring flowers like hyacinth or lilies are great. They add to the warmth of the room, but don't overdo it, some purchasers are also allergic.
7. Leave enough areas for people to wipe their shoes. Removing shoes can be an issue for some purchasers. Put out a welcome mat on the front porch, side door, back deck and in the foyer.
8. Make sure that all hallways are well lit and easy to navigate. You may walk those halls in the dark, but don't expect the Buyers to!
9. Make sure that all your appliances are in good working order. Most offers will ask that all appliances be in good working order. A four-burner stove must have four burners that work.
10. Wash all windows inside and out. Hire professionals to do it. This is a big job and should be done safely with the proper equipment. Keep debris off your skylights and make sure that all windows and skylights are caulked and checked on a regular basis.
11. Check your home for obvious issues like water spots on the ceiling and get them fixed. They will tip off Purchasers or Inspectors to a problem that may no longer exist.
12. If exterior sounds are an issue, leave some music on. Something light and unobtrusive - heavy metal is not a good choice!
13. If you have a forced air furnace, have the ducts cleaned, your furnace and air conditioner serviced and a new filter exchanged. It will bring down the dust and show you as a vendor that performs general maintenance on a regular basis.
14. Repair everything that needs to be repaired...do not renovate. Try to paint any major areas to brighten your home. Remember that most purchasers will want to see your home during the day and light is an issue. If the home needs too much work, then don't "throw good money after bad".
15. If your home has unused "knob and tube" wiring have it removed. It will save another issue on a building inspection and insuring for any new purchasers.
16. Wash the exterior of your house. Rent a power washer. Sills have a tendency to collect dirt and debris. As do corners and shutters. Wash down all decks and outdoor furniture.
17. In the spring, Plant container grown bulbs like daffodils (squirrels don't usually eat them) and they add great colour. Fill your front porch containers with hardy plants like pansies. In the fall, get some hardy mums.
18. Please take down your Xmas lights and Xmas tree. Check that all outdoor bulbs are working and provide enough light for agents to open lock boxes. Make sure your lights are on every evening while your home is listed.
19. Do a bit of landscaping. Trim back the bushes and tidy up the garden beds. Make it easy for people to walk in your back yard.
20. Make sure that the property's parking spots are clearly visible and useful. Parking is an issue for most Purchasers and if you have been using the parking as a garden, it is time to pull the grass and put the gravel back.
21. You may want to call a Building Inspector and have your home pre-inspected for as low as $350.00. This can help to alleviate any offers being Conditional on Building Inspections and also give you an idea of some issues that you may be able to address before listing.

Address all these issues before you list and eliminate many of the concerns of potential Buyers. Most Buyers make up their minds within the first 2 minutes of viewing a home - make the most of those minutes!