How much should I invest in a home for sale?

[Lise Desormeaux]

I often get this question from sellers. The answer is not always one they want to hear. The most important investment is time! The effort put into a home for sale is worth every cent and more. It's worth lots of dollars.

Some sellers feel that since they live in their home prospective buyers will understand that things may look lived in! Truth is, buyers today are turned off by noticing you live in your home. What they want to experience during a home showing is the feeling that they can move right in yet, that is extremely difficult if your home has underwear in the laundry room in full view, dishes in the sink or worse your kitchen floor still has last nights diner droppings in plain view.

Also, sellers can invest time in fixing home repairs without a lot of expense. What about the switch plate that's cracked, the lose hardware on the front door, missing or burned light bulbs. These things are inexpensive and just take a moment to address but they give the buyer the impression you take great care of your home. Unattended they leave the worse impression possible.

Spend some time in your home and pretend your a buyer. This exercise will help you see things from their point of view.