The aggression of our present economy has left many homeowners with the daunting task of having to sell their homes.  Not only does stress over finances make their decision more complicated, not knowing where to start fixing up your home for sale can be as equally a challenge.

Start by taking a general walkthrough of each room checking for holes in walls, marks on walls, and condition of carpet.  If there are holes in the walls, drywall spackle can be purchased to fix the holes.   If there are stains and marks on the wall, using a putty knife or screwdriver, remove a chip of paint in an inconspicuous area. Take the chip to a home improvement center or paint store so they can match the color for you.  Doing so enables you to purchase just the amount of paint that you need while covering the marks without needing to paint the whole room. If the whole room needs fresh paint, buying contractor 5 gallon buckets in flat white will do the trick. The lighter the color paint, the bigger the room will look.   You can paint the ceiling, trim and walls all one color.

If the carpet has pulls, use a scissor and cut the threads.  Re-gluing them back on the carpet will do the trick.  If the carpet is stained, renting a carpet cleaner first to see if the carpet can be cleaned is the best bet.  If the carpet is beyond repair, buy carpet on the roll from your local home improvement center versus from carpet samples found in carpet stores. The savings can run hundreds of dollars less. If your home has tile floors, grout in ceramic tiles will need to be cleaned with an inexpensive tile cleaner and long handled brush.

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Check the kitchen and bath area for caulking that has dried out and replace if necessary, along with blown out vanity light bulbs.  Kitchen cabinet doors can be sanded and repainted or re-surfaced if needed, no need to replace all the cabinets. 

Taking away some of the clutter in your home, either by packing it away in storage or boxing it in the garage, will give your home the "roomy" look.  Make sure there is no clutter on the kitchen countertops or bathroom counters.

Any ceiling air conditioner vents that are dirty can be soaked in a bucket of hot sudsy water and if needed painted again, saving you from having to purchase new ones.  Clean all ceiling fans since these will be on while potential customers are viewing your home.

Now that the house has a facelift, you will want potential buyers to be awed when they walk through your home.  Always make sure the lights are turned on along with any ceiling fans. There is nothing more refreshing to a potential buyer than walking through your home in comfort.  If you have central air conditioning, set it a few degrees cooler in the summer months and slightly higher in the winter months.  Open the curtains to let the light in.

Place flowers through out the house.  There is something about bright and colorful flowers that bring life to a room. Simmer potpourri in a pot on the stove for that extra sensory stimulation.

Remember, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.