Get ready to sell – spruce it up!  What you should know about getting your house ready to sell:

A common mistake people make is to spend a lot of money – renovations, new roof, remodeling. While buyers will be impressed with these things, spending $5000 on remodeling will not add $5000 to your sale. Spend as little money as possible, and spend it on cosmetic, readily seen features like interior painting. The time to remodel is when you plan to stay in the house, not when you’re going to sell.

If you think about everything that needs to be done to sell your house, you might throw your hands up in despair, or at least feel some anxiety. Take one step at a time, one small task at a time. Break it down to manageable-sized chores and you’ll have better results.

First things first – have a garage sale. Whatever doesn’t sell needs to be set out for a Disabled American Veterans or any charitable organization. Once the clutter is cleared away, it will be easier to see what needs to be done.

This is your first impression, so it had better be a good one.

• Edge, mow and fertilize the lawn regularly. Make sure it’s well watered and reseed any sparse areas.
• Put a bright coat of paint on your mailbox.
• Trim hedges, weed lawns and flowerbeds, and prune trees regularly. Cut back overgrown shrubbery that looks scraggly or keeps light out of the house.
• Buy a new welcome mat.
• Check the foundation, steps, walkways, walls and patios for cracks and crumbling, and reseal if possible.
• If you have siding or brick, power-wash it. If you have a painted exterior, consider repainting in a neutral shade. This is especially important if there is any peeling.
• Make sure the porch light works.
• Clean and align gutters and downspouts.
• Inspect and clean the chimney

Contact your New Jersey Shore Realtor, Diane B Kaplan, at 732-672-0409 anytime for all your real estate needs. To see what I see everyday just Click Here and search for all the listings on MLS.