1. Clean!  Not only should the house be spotless, it must smell clean. Apply elbow grease and strong cleaners to the surfaces inside and outside the home.  Hire professionals to shampoo all carpeting.

2. Reduce the clutter. Sort through closets, cupboards and storage areas: Toss what can be thrown away, organize the rest. If rooms are filled to axcess, put some pieces of furniture in storage while selling the house. Likewise, park a camper, boat or an extra car elsewhere.

3. Paint. Light, neutral colours have a broader appeal and can make small rooms seem larger and airier. Remove wild or dated wallpaper and paint the walls. Use premium paint. Fill all nail holes and chaulk before painting.

4. Make minor repairs. Tighten loose knobs, lubricate squeaky hinges, and fix leaky faucets. Clean out clogged drains, replace broken panes, and remove stains.

5. Repair a leaky roof. One tiny water stain on the ceiling will cause prospective buyers to question the entire roof. Fix the source of the leak, then repair any damage caused to the ceiling.

6. Repair a wet basement. The problem can be easy, installing covers over window wells or reattaching extensions on downspouts. If the problem calls for more extensive repairs that are not affordable, be prepared to explain the problem to the buyer. Never try to cover up signs of a wet basement. Get a professional estimate fo the repair cost.

7. Organize the kitchen. Clear off the counters. Add drawer organizers to suggest efficient use of space. Straighten up the pantry. Store seldom-used appliances and large baking pans.

8. Update the bathroom. If cleaning and paint can't rescue a dingy bathroom, consider replacing the vanity and sink, installing and new floor covering or resurfacing a bathtub.

9. Exterminate. One bug, dead or alive, can make a bad impression on a buyer. Allow time for the smell to disappear before showing the home. Repair any damage caused by insects.

10. Gussy up the front entrance. Prune bushes and place blooming container plants near the steps or along the walk. Paint or stain the door and install brass accents such as house numbers, a doorknob or knocker and a kickplate.

•  If you have special features of your home that are not obvious, please let us know about these so we include them in the shoot

•  Keep pets out of sight

•  Remove all vehicles from driveway and do not park directly in front of the house

•  Move garbage cans out of sight so they cannot be seen from the street

•  Remove all garden tools including hoses and sprinklers

•  Mow and rake lawn

•  Sweep paved driveways, sidewalks and patios

•  Clear off counter tops in kitchen and bathrooms

•  Remove photos, notes and papers from the refrigerator

•  Turn off ceiling fans, televisions, computer screens

•  De-clutter rooms which may be excessively furnished (they do not photograph very well)

•  Make all beds and tidy bedrooms, clothes hung, folded and put away – close closet doors

•  Remove piles of newspapers and magazines

•  Tuck trash cans out of view in a closet or cupboard

•  Let us know if there are any valuable  works of art – we can edit photos to make them unrecognizable

Occasionally, one can see "For Sale By Owner" signs, and some owners think that selling their own home will not only save them money, but believe they have an advantage over the sellers that have their home listed by a reputable Real Estate sales professional.  Before you decide to take on this very important and legally complicated process…remember not even most Real Estate Lawyer’s recommend selling your own home yourself in today’s market. Here are a few of the reasons why:

1. You are limiting your exposure to potential buyers (less than 10% of what a good real estate broker will generate) which theoretically means your home will take ten to fifteen times longer to sell on the market.

2. The longer a home is on the market the lower the selling price is. Why? Because most buyers think that if the home has not sold after this long…there must be something wrong with the home.

3. The selling/buying process begins AFTER the buyer leaves your home. Most sellers think that all it takes is for someone to see their home, fall in love with the great decor… and the offer automatically will follow.  Remember that the buying process begins after they leave your home. If a real estate agent does not represent the buyer, and they are looking on their own…they usually leave the home and start to talk themselves out of the buying process. Buyer's  represented by real estate professional Realtors© have the benefit of being with an individual trained on how to overcome buyers remorse--a very common occurrence.

4. Because of the limited exposure, you will very likely end up with a lower selling price. Remember, in order to generate the highest price possible for your home… selling means exposure. You need the maximum exposure possible, to generate the highest price possible.

5. Most buyers find it extremely awkward to negotiate or even to talk directly with sellers and therefore avoid FSBO properties.

6. Lack of negotiating experience and lack of pertinent information often will result in a lower selling price, or worse yet, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits.

7. The majority of qualified buyers are working with experienced real estate professionals.

8. Many serious buyers will pass by a FSBO home merely because they recognize that it is not in the real estate mainstream, this can some times make them wary.

9. As most local buyers now retain an experienced real estate sales person to represent them as their buyer-agency, you will probably be negotiating against an experienced professional.

10. Expected savings in broker's fees will also be greatly reduced if you offer a selling commission to entice real estate agents to bring potential buyers.

11. If you are planning to use a Lawyer to help you negotiate the offer, then your lawyer’s fees will be considerably higher.

12. Only real estate agents have access to the up-to-date market information. News reports cannot approach the timeliness or specificity available to agents. Further, real estate agents are involved in home sales much more frequently than the average homeowner is. This familiarity leads to a degree of expertise that provides an edge on negotiating and successful selling.

13. You only pay the commission to the real estate broker, if they successfully sell your home at the price you are happy with.

14. Accepting an offer is one thing, ensuring a safe and successful closing is quite another. Real estate transactions usually always have problems on closing. At times, expecting the Buyers and Sellers Lawyer’s to fight it out or resolve the problems, can sometimes mean the deal is lost. This is the time that your experienced real estate professional, can be the most important. Your Real Estate professional can act as a great mediator. Lawyers MUST act only on their client’s instructions and are not paid to negotiate.