Get Your Home Ready to Sell

In preparing your house to sell, ask yourself over and over if your house looks like someone else's dream house. Houses in move-in condition tend to be inviting to buyers; houses that are like new typically sell the fastest and procure the best price.

With that in mind, here are a few things to consider when getting ready to sell:

Exterior
Remember the 60-second rule: that's all the time you have to create a good first impression! Mow the lawn, rake leaves, trim trees and shrubs that keep light out of the house and remove dead plants. Pick up tools, garbage cans, hoses, toys, and building materials and store them neatly in a storage area. Replace broken or missing roof shingles and straighten and clean the gutters and downspouts. Clean all windows and mend torn screens. Painting your house helps improve curb appeal more than any other fix-up! If you decide against painting the entire house, consider painting the front door, window frames and shutters. Seal or resurface the driveway and repair broken steps and walkways. Paint or replace your mailbox and post. Dress up the front yard with some simple landscaping.

Clean, Clean, Clean
Step back for a moment and look at your home as if you were seeing it for the first time. Every room should be spotlessly clean, dusted and uncluttered. Steam clean the carpets and wax the floors. Wash the walls, windows and light fixtures. Tighten loose stair railings and clean all woodwork. In the event that you feel a project of this magnitude is better left to a professional, ask your real estate agent to recommend a cleaning service.

Entryway
Use bright light bulbs in the foyer and throughout the house. Fill the house with a pleasant aroma, such as berries in the summer or cinnamon in the winter.

Living Room
Replace the carpet if it's worn. It costs money, but you may find that you will more than recoup that cost when the home sells. Patch cracks and nail holes in the walls, and repaint walls in neutral colors, such as white or ivory. Nail down creaking boards and stair treads. Lubricate any sticking or squeaking doors. Open all curtains, and replace them if they are getting old. Add lamps and lighting if the house is dark. Set out fresh flowers.

Furniture
Rearrange or remove furniture to make your rooms look more spacious. Too much furniture and too many knick-knacks make rooms look cluttered and small. One or two decorative items per surface are plenty, so pack the rest away.

Kitchen and Baths
These rooms should sparkle! Clear off counters, and clean all appliances and fixtures. Scrub the floors and walls. Re-caulk tubs and showers. Clean these rooms thoroughly, and be sure they smell fresh.

Closets
Take those things to Goodwill that you'll have to discard anyway when you move. Organize shelves and straighten shoes. Be sure that sliding doors operate smoothly and knobs on drawers are secure.

Utility Room
Dust and wash the washer, dryer and water heater.

Light and Bright
Do everything you can to brighten the interior. Replace wallpaper with white or off-white paint, and repaint shabby or dark walls. Open the blinds, and replace broken windows and window seals. Always maintain a comfortable temperature inside the house, even if you are away for an extended period of time.

Metro Area Foreclosure and HUD House Searches:
Aurora Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Arvada Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Brighton Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Broomfield Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Castle Rock Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Centennial Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Commerce City Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Denver Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Englewood Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Golden Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Highlands Ranch Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Lakewood Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Littleton Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Northglenn Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Parker Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Thornton Foreclosures and HUD Homes, Westminster Foreclosures and HUD Homes
Metro Area Luxury Foreclosure and Luxury HUD House Searches:
Denver Area Luxury Foreclosures, Aurora Luxury Foreclosures, Arvada Luxury Foreclosures, Brighton Luxury Foreclosures, Broomfield Luxury Foreclosures, Castle Rock Luxury Foreclosures, Centennial Luxury Foreclosures, Commerce City Luxury Foreclosures, Denver Luxury Foreclosures, Englewood Luxury Foreclosures, Golden Luxury Foreclosures, Highlands Ranch Luxury Foreclosures, Lakewood Luxury Foreclosures, Littleton Luxury Foreclosures, Northglenn Luxury Foreclosures, Parker Luxury Foreclosures, Thornton Luxury Foreclosures, Westminster Luxury Foreclosures
Metro Area Distressed Properties and Fix and Flip Homes:
Aurora Distressed Properties, Arvada Distressed Properties, Brighton Distressed Properties, Broomfield Distressed Properties, Castle Rock Distressed Properties, Centennial Distressed Properties, Commerce Distressed Properties, Denver Distressed Properties, Englewood Distressed Properties, Golden Distressed Properties, Highlands Ranch Distressed Properties, Lakewood Distressed Properties, Littleton Distressed Properties, Northglenn Distressed Properties, Parker Distressed Properties, Thornton Distressed Properties, Westminster Distressed Properties
Metro Area Condo Searches:
Aurora Condos and Townhomes, Arvada Condos and Townhomes, Brighton Condos and Townhomes, Broomfield Condos and Townhomes, Castle Rock Condos and Townhomes, Centennial Condos and Townhomes, Commerce City Condos and Townhomes, Denver Condos and Townhomes, Englewood Condos and Townhomes, Golden Condos and Townhomes, Highlands Ranch Condos and Townhomes, Lakewood Condos and Townhomes, Littleton Condos and Townhomes Northglenn Condos and Townhomes, Parker Condos and Townhomes, Thornton Condos and Townhomes, Westminster Condos and Townhomes,
Metro Area Home Searches:
Homes for sale Aurora colorado, Homes for sale Arvada colorado, Homes for sale Brighton colorado, Homes for sale Broomfield colorado, Homes for sale Castle Rock colorado, Homes for sale Centennial colorado, Homes for sale Commcer City colorado, Homes for sale Denver colorado, Homes for sale Englewood colorado, Homes for sale Golden colorado, Homes for sale Highlands Ranch colorado, Homes for sale Lakewood colorado, Homes for sale Littleton colorado Homes for sale Northglenn colorado, Homes for sale Parker colorado, Roxborough Park Homes for Sale, Homes for sale Thornton colorado, Homes for sale Westminster colorado, Denver Area Homes by Zip Code
Metro Area Short Sales House Searches:
Aurora Short Sale Homes, Arvada Short Sale Homes, Brighton Short Sale Homes, Broomfield Short Sale Homes, Castle Rock Short Sale Homes, Centennial Short Sale Homes, Commerce City Short Sale Homes, Denver Short Sale Homes, Englewood Short Sale Homes, Golden Short Sale Homes, Highlands Ranch Short Sale Homes, Lakewood Short Sale Homes, Littleton Short Sale Homes, Northglenn Short Sale Homes, Parker Short Sale Homes, Thornton Short Sale Homes, Westminster Short Sale Homes
Metro Area Short Sales Condo and Townhome Searches:
Aurora Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Arvada Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Brighton Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Broomfield Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Castle Rock Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Centennial Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Commerce City Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Denver Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Englewood Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Golden Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Highlands Ranch Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Lakewood Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Littleton Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Northglenn Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Parker Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Thornton Short Sale Condos and Townhomes, Westminster Short Sale Condos and Townhomes
Denver Area Luxury Homes Searches:
Denver Area Luxury Homes, Aurora Luxury Homes, Arvada Luxury Homes, Brighton Luxury Homes, Broomfield Luxury Homes, Castle Rock Luxury Homes, Centennial Luxury Homes, Commerce City Luxury Homes, Denver Luxury Homes, Englewood Luxury Homes, Golden Luxury Homes, Highlands Ranch Luxury Homes, Lakewood Luxury Homes, Littleton Luxury Homes, Northglenn Luxury Homes, Parker Luxury Homes, Thornton Luxury Homes, Westminster Luxury Homes