`Secrets’ for sellers

When you’re selling your home, there are all sorts of dos and don’ts, if you want to frame the conversation that way. I prefer to think in more stealth terms: making the right moves that draw the right attention to your home in a way that appears natural, even comfortable.

In other words, do things that make sense. Don’t do things that do not make sense.

Logical, right?

Here’s an example to get us started. You want to shine a light on your home. Not a literal spotlight in the sky, but do what you can to let natural light shine. Maybe you take down drapes or just clean the windows. But it also doesn’t hurt to put artificial light to work for you by increasing the wattage of bulbs. You want a cheery place, not a dreary place.

Here’s another secret: HGTV and HGTV.COM are good places to get ideas. So, what follows is a combination of their suggestions and my take on a few other things you can do to enhance your home’s appeal.

Stand ready: As in, always be willing and able to “show” your home to prospective buyers. That means keeping home clean and tidy and your own schedule flexible.

Depersonalize: When strangers walk through your house, they have to be able to imagine it as their home. That’s more difficult if your house is a photo gallery, the walls lined with pictures of relatives near and far.

Declutter – everywhere: It should be obvious that having stuff strewn throughout the house hurts you, makes it look smaller and not well-maintained. But here’s another tip: Go through all your closets and reduce what is in them by half. Why? It makes them look larger, delivers the message that there is closet space to spare and that’s always a point in your favor.

Pay attention to the kitchen: In a recent column, I went into great detail on this point. But know this: The kitchen counts. It’s the one room in the house with the power beyond on its sheer square footage to sway a sale.

No pets on parade: If you have a dog or cat, or both, it’s best if they are neither seen nor heard. The pet smells they leave behind also need to be combated with candles or air fresheners. Face it, nobody else loves your pet like you do and your cat isn’t going to close a sale for you.

Get their attention: Curb appeal is not optional. You can enhance your home – make a good first impression – with a little landscaping, a pleasing entryway, and walkway lighting for after dark.

Set the right price: Sounds basic, doesn’t it? Yet too often sellers hurt themselves by first putting a “fantasy” price on their home. The market has been strong, but real estate really is local. Meaning, a good price in one neighborhood might be too high or too low in another.

With all these points, your REALTOR® can help you make the right choices and make a timely sale.