For Sale By Owner Monthly

A good first impression will
help sell your home

Try to remember back to the first time you saw your house-Were the floors dirty? Cluttered? Cold? Dark? When showing your home to prospective buyers, first impressions are the most lasting and the most important to its sale.

Your major role as a seller will be to make your home as attractive as possible to potential buyers. The time, effort and limited financial investment involved can give you the competitive edge needed to sell your home when you want-at the price you want.

Your Home's exterior creates
the prospective buyer's first impression

Since the exterior of your home is the first thing a prospective buyer sees, a little time and effort can make a big difference in the impression your home creates. And pay big dividends when the sale is made. Use this checklist to make sure your home's exterior looks its best:

    •   Lawn is well cut to and neatly trimmed around the walks and         drive

    •   Flower garden is weeded

    •   Shrubs are trimmed and dead trees and branches are                    eliminated

    •   All debris is disposed of and toys and lawn equipment are                neatly stored

    •   Fences and gates are repaired and repainted, if necessary

    •   The roof, gutters and downspouts are in good repair

    •   Driveways and sidewalks are washed down and checked
        for cracking and crumbling

    •   Cracked windows and torn screens are replaced.
        Screens windows and windowsills are washed.
        Doorknobs are polished.

    •   Doorbell and front lights are in good working order.

If you would have planned to paint your homes exterior within the coming year consider painting the house before showing it. A new paint job well done will normally enhance the sale value a good deal more than the cost of the paint.

Remember, if your home's exterior looks clean, orderly and in good repair, that's the impression your house will first convey.

A Spotless interior will reinforce your home's good first impression

Interior dirt and clutter can obscure your home's good points, so start with a full housecleaning from top to bottom. Store unused or unnecessary items in closets and storage areas of hold a garage sale. Eliminate clutter and your home will look more spacious-an important selling point.

Take an inspection tour of your home, observing it as a potential buyer would, and use the following checklist to make sure its ready to show:

    •   Walls are clean and free of smudges, fingerprints and                    dents.