TIPS FOR SELLERS - If you use these tips, it could help the selling process go smoothly

1. Reduce Clutter. A neat, organized house looks larger and more inviting than a house that has furniture, toys, and debris everywhere.
2. Clean. Not only should a home be spotless, it must smell clean.
3. Make minor repairs. Making repairs, even small repairs like lubricating squeaky hinges and fixing dripping faucets, can add up to a big difference in the way a potential buyer views a home.
4. Make sure all lighting fixtures work and put in bulbs with the highest wattage allowed for each fixture. Illuminating rooms with as much light as possible will make them seem larger and more appealing.
5. Make the front entry as pretty as possible. A coat of paint on the door; brass accents such as house numbers and a doorknob; and pruned bushes and blooming plants can help make a good first impression. It is important that prospective buyers like the home before they see the interior.
6. Exterminate. One bug, dead or alive, can make a bad impression on a buyer. Be sure to allow time for the smell of pesticide to disappear before showing the home to potential buyers.
7. Carpeting has a major impact on the look of a home. If the carpeting in a home is worn, outdated, or stained, you should consider replacing it. The investment will pay off by making the home more attractive to potential buyers.
8. Make arrangements for pets. If at all possible, keep pets and pet odors away from the attention of buyers. Most people are desensitized to the odor of their own pet(s), but it is common to notice that a pet has been present in a home, even in a vacant home.
9. Take a picture of the home at its best. A home that is surrounded by lush flowering plants in the spring may look dreary in the winter. A photo can show buyers the true beauty of the home.
10. If the house has a deck, patio, porch or other outdoor entertainment area, make the most of it. Keep these areas clean and clutter-free. If the home has a pool or hot tub, make sure it is sparkling clean.
11. Don't overprice your property. Some sellers want to set an original asking price that is unrealistically too high, believing that they can lower the price if they don't get any offers. But a property that is initially overpriced may "turn off" a prospective buyer. In most cases, serious buyers don't make offers on homes that are priced too high for the market. Some buyers shy away from making a low offer on a property because they don't want to offend the seller, never knowing if the seller really "believes" that their list price is fair, or if they are just "testing" the market. Also, many buyers will not return to a house once they have rejected it, even after a price reduction.
12. The old adage of location, location, location falls short of identifying the three main factors that realistically determine a property's desirability. More accurate is location, price, and condition. Location is a factor that cannot change (unless a house is physically moved). In general, however, if a property is priced right and shows well, it will sell. If it is overpriced and does not show well due to cosmetic factors, it may sit on the market and not sell.
13. Remove any furniture that tightens spaces or makes a passage look small.
14. Remove family pictures. Prospective buyers want to picture themselves in a home, not the current occupants.
15. Attention Smokers: In a Chicago Tribune article, The Woolwich, a mortgage bank, reported that 28 percent of buyers would disregard a property if the sellers smoked. The homes of smokers typically take more days to sell and require extra work to get the property ready to show. Besides having scented candles burning in the home, it is best to replace carpeting and repaint, including ceilings. Prior to repainting, wash the walls thoroughly to prevent outcasting (a re-emission of tobacco tars and nicotines).
16. When showing the house:
• Avoid having too many people present during a showing. The prospect might feel like they are imposing, and will hurry through.
• Be courteous, but don't force conversation with the prospect(s). They are there to preview your home, not to be sociable.
• Never apologize for the appearance of your home. After all, it has been lived in.
• Don't tag along with the prospects when they are viewing the home, especially if they have their agent with them.
• Open all blinds. If a prospect walks into the room and the blinds are closed, their view is limited to a dozen or so feet. But with the blinds open, their field of view extends into the yard.
• Turn on all lights, even those in closets and the garage. More light makes a room not only seem larger but also easier to appreciate. Searching for a closet light switch in a dark closet is a distraction.