Preparing to Sell Your Home: Tips from Anat Papp

**ADVERTORIAL**By: Giovanna Loureiro and Rhiannon Moller-TrotterAre you selling your home but don’t know where to begin? Remember, first impressions and implementing a plan to enhance your property are very important factors in making your home look attractive to potential buyers.Making sure your home is appealing enough to stand out from the competition is key. First impressions are about giving a potential buyer a good feeling when they initially step into the home. They have to imagine what it would be like to live there. Therefore, with simple improvements you can help hopeful new owners realize that your house is perfect for them.Planning requires a checklist. Write down everything that needs to be done. Imagine it’s your first time walking through your door. What would you dislike? What would you fix? Improvements do not necessarily mean spending a large sum of money and repairing problems that you consider insignificant can make all the difference to potential buyers.The interiorThe home must be clean. Get some disinfectant wipes or use vinegar, soap and water, and wash down the walls, baseboards and surfaces. Cutting the clutter and making your closets look spacious will pay off. A new coat of paint (use a neutral colour) helps freshen up the home. Deep cleaning, or even changing, your carpet will help sell your home faster. Finally, make sure minor repairs are done well and that any leaks or moisture problems are fixed.The exteriorIf you want to increase your home’s value, a newly painted exterior is always an asset. Have the windows washed on the outside and on the inside (you can hire a company or you can do it yourself). Washing the windows can give potential buyers the impression that the house is well maintained.Lastly, the exterior is an invitation to the interior. If it is appealing on the outside, people will assume it is also appealing on the inside. Clean your yard and enhance the landscape with some new plants, flowers and even trees (depending on your budget and space). Your front door welcomes people in, therefore, the entrance should look attractive. Cleaning, painting or even buying a new door will give a good impression to potential buyers. Putting a new welcome mat adorned with flowers on the front steps will make the home more welcoming.Keep yourself organized by creating a checklist of everything you need to clean, repair and improve. This way you can check things off as you do them and tackle the list that will make sure to sell your home for the best possible price.For more expert advice contact:Anat Papp, Broker of RecordGreenfield Real Estate Inc, Brokeragemobile: 416-712-6807phone: 416-226-1020fax: 416-398-1021http://AnatPapp.com