Do you want to sell your home but it is looking a little cluttered and dirty? Then this article is for you. Everyone knows that homes look best when they are clean and organized, especially if the home is intended to be sold.

So what can you do to get your home ready to sell? Here are some things you can do:

Declutter

The home should be cleaned out of any unnecessary objects; however, everything that is left in the home should have its proper place. Once all items are properly placed, consider putting them into storage until after the house has sold. Also, make sure to remove any broken or damaged items from sight (such as old furniture with rips in the fabric).

Make Repairs

Make any small home repairs, such as putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls and fixing leaky faucets. This will make the home look better to prospective buyers. If larger home repairs must be made, get them assessed by a repair person and ask your realtor for advice on if you should fix it before listing your home.

Tidy Up

The home should be cleaned from top to bottom, inside and out. Clean all floors, carpets, countertops, and appliances thoroughly. Then take a step back, go outside and come back through the front door, and look at your home with a fresh perspective; what else needs cleaning? Keep in mind that the details make all the difference. You can also hire a professional stager to make your main living areas shine even more. They will supply neutral and appealing furniture, like beds, couches, perhaps a dining room table, fake flowers that appear like fresh flowers, etc. so potential buyers can have a neutral palette to visualize with.

Depersonalize

Take your personal home décor and family photos down and store them at your new house or in a storage unit. This will help prospective buyers picture themselves living in the home, rather than picturing you living in the home. Also, make sure there are no personal documents lying out in plain sight; clear all countertops and desktops to give the home a clean look. Most buyers feel that your personal items make it difficult to tour your home comfortably. You’ll attract buyers who are more likely to return or put in an offer at the full sales price if it seems like it’s not really your home anymore, as harsh as that sounds.

Put Your Home on the Market

Once everything is repaired and spotless and you’ve added a fresh coat of paint, it’s time to get your home ready for listing! Putting your home on the market involves many steps from deciding on a real estate agent to choosing an asking price, but these tips can help get you started:

List With an Experienced Real Estate Agent

Finding a good real estate agent can take some time—talk to friends and relatives for recommendations of agents they have used, or search online home forums for people talking about their home sale experiences.

Inspect Your Home

Before listing your home, have it inspected by a home inspector to uncover any imperfections that need immediate fixing before putting it on the market.

Price It Right

Pricing your home right from the start will give you the best chance of having it sell fast at a good price; ask your real estate agents if they think your home is priced appropriately based on its condition and comparable home values, like those of recently sold properties in your neighborhood. Your home’s sale price will be one of the major make-or-break factors for bringing in potential buyers. So, it’s imperative you learn and understand your home’s worth. If you’re not ready to have someone come out to your home and price it out, you can always use an online tool, like the one Clark County Market Values offers, to calculate your home’s value.

Are You Ready?

There are many steps involved before selling your home. To prepare to sell your home yourself, make sure the home is clean and organized, declutter, depersonalize, hire a professional stager, and make any necessary repairs. Once your home is ready, contact several good real estate agents, pick one that you like, and list your home on the market at your desired asking price! Maybe you’ll get lucky and run into some cash buyers right away so your house sells quickly, but maybe you won’t. It won’t matter too much anyway because you’ll have already taken the time to properly prepare your house, and someone out there will likely be willing to pay top dollar.

If you’re trying to find out how much your home is worth in today’s market, use an online home valuation tool, like the one here at Clark County Market Values, to get an accurate value.