Here are some suggestions and ideas to improve your Grand Rapids home’s appearance and help you prepare to sell your home faster!!!

Throughout the home:

1. Open the draperies, pull up the shades, and let in the sunlight.

2. Create a positive mood.  Turn on all lights, day or night, and install higher wattage light bulbs to show your home brightly.

3. Remove clutter from each room to visually enlarge them.

4. If you have a fireplace, highlight it in your decorating.

5. Keep your home dusted arid vacuumed at all times.

6. Replace the carpet if it does not clean up well

7. Have a family”game plan” to get the home in order quickly if necessary.

8. Air out your home for one-half hour before showings, if possible.

9. Lightly spray the house with air freshener so that it has a chance to diffuse before the buyer arrives.

10. Put family photos in storage.

11. Improve traffic flow through every room by removing unnecessary furniture.

12. Create the feeling of a spacious entry area by using decorative accents and removing unnecessary furniture.

13. Putty over and paint any nail holes or other mishaps in the walls.

14. Paint all interior walls a neutral color to brighten the home and make it look bigger.

15. Repair or replace any loose or damaged wallpaper.

16. Clean all light bulbs and light fixtures to brighten home.

17. Wash all windows, inside and out.

18. Use plants in transitional areas of your home.

19. Make the most of your attic’s potential.

20. Remove and/or hide excess extension cords and exposed wires.

21. Open doors to areas you want buyers to see such as walk-in closets, pantries, attics, etc.

22. Remove all smoke and pet odors.

23. Repair or replace banisters and handrails.

In the Kitchen:
24. Microwave a small dish of vanilla 20 minutes before a showing and place it in an out of the way place.
25. Highlight an eat-in area in your kitchen with a table set for dinner.
26. The kitchen and bathrooms should always be spotlessly clean.
27. Expand your counter space by removing small appliances.
In the Bedrooms:

28. Create a master suite effect in your decorating.
29. Depersonalize bedrooms and decorate in a neutral scheme.
30. Make sure that the beds are made and the linens are clean.
31. Organize your closets, remove unnecessary items and put them in storage.

In the Bathrooms:

32. Do not leave towels around and wipe down the sinks,and shower areas after each use.
33. Re–caulk the tub,  if the caulk is not sparkling white.
34. Repair or replace broken tiles in the shower/tub.
35. Replace shower curtains and keep them clean.
36. Put out fresh towels and decorative soaps.

Outside:

37. Keep the yard mowed, and raked at all times.
38. Use flowering plants to dress up the yard, walkway, and patio.
39. Remove all toys, bicycles, tools, unsightly patio furniture, and  trash from the yard.
40. Porches, steps, verandas, balconies, patios, and other extensions of the house should be kept uncluttered, swept, and in good condition.
41. Paint all entrance doors.
42. Make sure the garage door opens easily.  Fix and paint the garage door if necessary.
43. Clean and shine all hardware and accessories indoors and out (door knobs, knockers, lamps, mail box, address numbers, etc.)
44. Trees and shrubs should be trimmed and pruned.
45. Use a new doormat.
46. Be sure the front doorbell is in good working order.
47. Be sure the front door and screen door works perfectly.

Make sure that you take the time to shop for your home owners insurance the next time it comes up for renewal.

These are tough times for home sellers. If you’re one of them, it can be tempting to launch into a series of home renovations to make your home more desirable. But be discerning about your choices — certain renovations can actually decrease the value of your home. Money magazine suggests avoiding these four renovations at all costs:

A swimming pool.
If you don’t know this already, a swimming pool is a liability, not an asset. Unless you live in a hot climate; in the Southwest, a pool can increase a home’s value by 11 percent.

Home addition.
Sure, an addition to your home will add inside space. But how will it look from the outside? Many home additions can look boxy or unnatural with the rest of the house.

Trendy finishes.
Don’t fall for the latest style or trend when it comes to renovating. As soon as it’s out of style, it will stick out — and look bad.

A Jacuzzi.
Nothing beats a good soak after a long day. But not everyone loves a giant tub with multiple jets. Instead, try a rain shower head if you want to add some luxury to a bathroom.

How to sell quickly:
With the spring home-buying season fast approaching, panic is setting in among sellers in slowing markets nationwide forced to consider price cuts to unload their properties. The U.S. inventory of unsold homes hit a record 1,066,000 units in January and over 8,800 units in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area currently. In some of last year’s hottest regional markets, inventories are five times higher than a year ago. Buyers are taking a wait-and-see attitude. It’s the nature of buyers to seek a bargain, and if they think prices are going to go lower, they will wait as long as it takes. So, it is time to get aggressive and lower your price to be the best buy in your neighborhood, because, remember, you are going to get the same or better deal when you buy…so don’t wait any longer…it’s time to get aggressive!!!