As a homeowner, you can play an important role 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. Whether your home needs repainting or just a solid clean, the right professional can help you get everything in order so you can stay focused on more important things.

Here is a list of things to consider, if you intend to do the work yourself:

1. First Impressions Last
   Make sure you mow your lawn, the gardens are neat & tidy, and that the house is presented with the least amount of clutter possible. Be ruthless when it comes to clutter, less is much more!
2. General Maintenance
   Ensure any niggling repairs are done prior to putting your home on the market. If everything that a prospective buyer can see appears to be in good order, then they will assume everything behind the scenes are in good order too. On the other hand, if you appear negligent in maintaining things in plain view, what does this say about issues you can’t see? This includes fixing doors that stick or creak, windows that don’t open properly, cracks in brick work, etc.
3. Check Taps and Bulbs
   Show that you have thoroughly cared for your home, and fix and dripping taps (they really are annoying) and change any faulty light bulbs.
4. Think Safety
   Homeowners learn to live with all kinds of self-set booby traps (roller skates on the stairs, slippery rugs and low hanging overhead lights). Make your residence as non-perilous as possible for uninitiated visitors.
5. 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 any storage areas are clean and free of unnecessary items.
6. Consider your 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. (Less to pack when you move too!)
7. Make your Bathroom Sparkle
   Bathrooms sell homes, so let them shine. Check and repair damaged or unsightly grouting or sealants in the tubs and showers. For added allure, display your best towels, mats, and shower curtains.
8. Light and Breezy
   Let the sun shine in! Pull back your curtains, open the windows and show prospective buyers how bright and cheery your home is. Also, whether it’s day or night, turn on all your lights. You’ll be surprised what an impression it makes!
9. Pets
   Dogs and cats are great companions, but not when you're showing your home. Pets have a talent for getting underfoot. If possible take them for a drive, or at least keep them out of the way. If you can hide their toys and feeding bowls as well, these can be a turn off for some prospective buyers. And above all, make sure the backyard is free of anything they may have left behind. No-one likes a minefield when exploring the new yard.
10. Disappear
    Nobody knows your home as well as you do, but your agent knows buyers! It’s best for everyone if you can leave the home during inspections, as it’s often difficult to get genuine feedback with the owners present.
11. Defer to Experience
    If buyers approach you for any reason, it’s best to refer them to your agent. Simply hand them your agent’s business card and suggest they’re the best person to speak to. Same goes for competing agents dropping in to ‘see if they can help’.