When getting your home ready to sell, you need to look at your house in a new way. Think of your house as a product about to go on the market where it is probably competing with brand new housing. It needs to show well – which means clutter-free and well kept.

Here are 5 proven strategies to help you get ready to sell:

1. 1.     Fix it before you list it
   Potential buyers are not interested in hearing about your good intentions to make repairs before a transfer of ownership takes place. Even if fix-up work is underway, buyers may not be able to visualize what your home will look like when the work is finished. They will just remember it being in a state of disrepair.
2. 2.     Professional Inspection: Yes or No?
   A serious buyer may want to have a professional home inspector check your house from top to bottom before making an offer. Completing an inspection in advance of putting your home on the market is a good idea. It is your best way of finding and taking care of serious deficiencies before an inspector hired by a potential buyer discovers them.
3. 3.     First Impression: Curb Appeal
   How does your house look from the street? That’ where prospective buyers will be standing when they first see your home; and, that’s where they will form that all-important first impression. Stand at the curb in front of your house and note what you see. Make sure you cut the grass, weed the gardens and plant some flowers.
4. 4.     Now for the Indoors
   A prospective buyer will usually enter through your front door; so, that is where you should begin your interior inspection. You want your buyer to see a neat, clean, well-lit interior. Get rid of the clutter, if you have family memorabilia, consider thinning it out. Ensure that carpets are clean and floors are scrubbed and polished; and that walls and trim show fresh paint (preferably neutral or light colours).

   Now take a sniff. Are there any unpleasant odours in your home? If so, track them down and eliminate them. Ensure all your lights work and are free of cobwebs. You want your home to look spacious, bright and fresh.

5. 5.     Showtime!
   When you have showings, open all drapes, blinds, etc. and turn on lights to make the house bright. Remove pets, have fresh flowers in view and make sure everything is spotless. If you’re selling in the winter months, display photos of the house in summer to show landscaping and any outdoor features.

To will help you identify common house problems and to make sure that your home shows well, CMHC’s has developed an easy-to-follow Homeowner’s Inspection Checklist.

A little corrective action before the “For Sale Sign” goes up could net you thousands of extra dollars.