Creating a Desirable Property

1. Get rid of clutter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items--leave just one or two larger ones out. Pack up highly personal items (religious, family, collections). Store out-of-season clothing to make closets seem roomier. Clean out the garage.

2. Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior. Replace heavy curtains with ones through which the light can shine.

3. Keep everything extra clean. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator. Make sure all cabinet doors in bathrooms and kitchen are clean. Check around all household doorknobs for smudges and grime. Get rid of any cobwebs. Keep the hearth swept. A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers that the home has been well cared for.

4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Don't smoke inside the house and keep pets outside, if possible. Clean litter boxes morning and evening. Open the windows in warm weather, and air the house out for a half-hour every day during cold weather.

5. Use caution with scent. Don't use room deoderizors or scented potpourri--many people are sensitive to strong smells and will not be able to view your house if fragrence is used. This can even include scented candles; unscented ones are less risky.

6. Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem brighter, especially basements and other dark rooms. Replace any burnt-out bulbs.

7. Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they'll give buyers the impression that the house isn't well maintained.

8. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim the bushes, and edge the walks. Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the entryway.

9. Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.

10. Clean your gutters.

11. Polish your front doorknob and door numbers.

12. Control temperature. Keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer.