Sell Your House For More

Buying and selling houses is believed to be one of the most stressful, often traumatic, experiences a person can go through. So how can you get the best deal possible and get through it without having a nervous breakdown? How do you ensure that your house sells quickly and for more money?

Well, by spending a minimal amount on your house *before* you let potential buyers in to view, you can increase the chances of selling your property, and be able to command more for your property than the original asking price. A few adjustments could increase the value of your house by thousands.

First of all, any property being put on the market benefits from a thorough "spring clean," no matter the season. Put aside a weekend for this task and start at the top of the house and work down. If you can get rid of the children for a couple of days, all the better. Put any clutter away into cases or cardboard boxes and stash away neatly in the attic or a storage room.

Clean all the windowsills (which are often missed) and make sure your windows are sparkling. Don't forget to dust your skirting boards and check for any cobwebs hiding away in corners.

Anything broken? Fix it, or throw it away, and make sure rooms are not made to appear smaller with too much furniture cluttering the place. Potential buyers will want to imagine how their own furniture will look in the rooms.

If there is a smoker in the house, whitewash the ceilings, as they are usually smoke stained and make rooms look dingy. Also freshen up paint, giving external paint work particular attention. First impressions count! A bright, glossy scarlet door will make a far better impression than a door covered in old dark peeling paint. If there is paving in the front garden of the house, make sure it is swept and there is no trash blowing around.

It is often said that a house is usually "sold" within the first two minutes of buyers approaching the front of the property. Some sellers complain about potential buyers making appointments and then not turning up. Often however, these viewers drive up to a property, see the state of the front of the house and then drive away without even viewing the interior! Trim hedges, put up hanging baskets and weed the borders. If at all possible, try and make *your* garden the nicest kept on the street.

When prospective buyers are due to arrive, do last minute tidying jobs and follow some of these tips:

• Keep curtains wide open in the daytime and closed at night.
  
  
• Turn off any radios or televisions as they could be a distraction.
  
  
• Clean finger marks off mirrors and light switches.
  
  
• Put fresh flowers throughout the house.
  
  
• Put clean fresh towels out in the bathroom(s).

If you don't want to go to the expense of major alterations or re-decoration there are a number of quick coverups:

• Cover old or worn furniture with a throw.
  
  
• Cover a worn carpet with a well-placed rug.
  
  
• If the kitchen units are a bit worse for wear, don't go to the expense of a new kitchen. Have replacement doors put on the old units.
  
  
• Get rid of as much clutter as possible in the kitchen. A tidy kitchen creates the illusion of being larger than it actually is.
  
  
• A couple of small lamps can be placed strategically for ambience.

With the above ideas implemented you should have a better than average chance of selling your property QUICKLY AND FOR MORE MONEY!

Gail Miller publishes "The ADD / ADHD Gazette" a free on-line newsletter accenting the positive side of ADHD. Subscribe by sending a blank email to gailmiller@clara.net with "subscribe" in subject.

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