Some tips on making the most of your home:

As a homeowner, you can play an important part in the timely sale of your property. When you take the following steps, you’ll help me sell your home faster, at the best possible price.

The easiest and most reliable way to improve the appeal of your home is to enlist a quality home service professional. The right professional can help you get everything in order - from repainting the kitchen to providing a thorough cleaning - so you can stay focused on more important things.

1. Make the Most of that First Impression
   A well-manicured lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs and a clutter-free porch welcome prospects.   If it’s autumn, rake the leaves.  If it’s winter, shovel the walkways. 

2. Invest a Few Hours for Future Dividends
   Here’s your chance to clean up in real estate. Clean up the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen. (One of my favorite products these days is Mr. Clean Erasers.  If you haven't tried them, you need to! They are GREAT!) If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some minor redecoration.  If you’re worried about time, hire professional cleaners or painters to prepare and showcase your home.  

3. Check Faucets and Bulbs
   Don’t let little problems detract from what’s right with your home.  Dripping water rattles the nerves, discolors sinks and suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing.  Burned out bulbs or faulty wiring leave prospects in the dark.  

4. Don’t Shut Out a Sale
   If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, you can be sure they will also stick in a prospect’s mind. Don’t try to explain away sticky situations when you can easily plane them away. 

5. Think Safety
   Make your residence as non-perilous as possible for uninitiated visitors.  Make sure toys are picked up, stray shoes are put away, extension cords are out of sight and low hanging overhead lights are adjusted.

6. Make Room for Space
   Remember, potential buyers are looking for more than just comfortable living space.  They’re looking for storage space, too.  Make sure your closets, garage, attic and basement are clean and free of unnecessary items.

7. And Speaking of Closets...
   The better organized a closet, the larger it appears. Now’s the time to box up those unwanted clothes and donate them to charity.

8. Make Your Bathroom and Kitchen Sparkle
   You have heard this lots of times - bathrooms and kitchens sell homes, so let them shine.  Check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers or around the kitchen sink.  For added allure, display your best towels, mats, and shower curtains.  Remove clutter from kitchen counters.

9. Create Dream Bedrooms
   Wake up prospects to the cozy comforts of your bedrooms. For a spacious look, get rid of excess furniture.  Colorful bedspreads and fresh curtains go a long way to creating an inviting atmosphere.

10. Open up in the Daytime
    Let the sun shine in!  Open blinds, pull back your curtains and drapes so prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is.

11. Lighten up at Night
    Turn on the excitement by turning on all your lights - both inside and outside - when showing your home in the evening.  Lights add color and warmth and make prospects feel welcome.

12. Watch Your Pets
    Dogs and cats are great companions, but not when you're showing your home.  Pets have a talent for getting underfoot.  Keep your dog and cat outside or at least out of the way.

13. Think Volume
    Rock-and-roll will never die. But it might kill a real estate transaction. When it's time to show your home, it's time to turn off the TV and turn down the music.