Making your house appear attractive and friendly from the street is the number one thing you should do to sale your house. If it lacks curb appeal because of clutter and children’s toys in the yard, it will be more difficult to persuade a perspective buyer to come in and see the inside of the house.

So here are some tips for preparing the outside of your home:

If it is summer, mow often and weed eat!! Don’t let the weeds grow two feet high around large items in the yard. Cut back shrubs that hide windows. Clean out fountains and birdbaths. Straighten up the wood pile. Pick up bark scraps and chips t neaten the appearance. If you have a clothesline, straighten up leaning poles and give rusty faded ones a fresh coat of pain. If there is a swing, paint it, replace missing parts, or replace it all together or take it down. Remove any piles that are an eye sore such as concrete blocks, limbs, trash old barbecue grills and especially any inoperable vehicles from the yard or drive. If you have a pool, make sure it looks sparkling clean every day. Pools can be a deterient to some home owners because of the maintenance, make it appear sparkling clean. It must look inviting to buyers who do want a pool, or to those who will consider a home with a pool. Make any repairs to fence such as sagging or squeaky gates, and again weed eat around the fence. If your house has paint that is peeling around doors and windows, re-paint them. Replace or paint rusted or broken light fixtures on porches or beside doors. Remove any daubers’ and wasps’ nests. Make the front entry as inviting as possible. Polish the brass knocker and kick plate. Have a colorful wreath on or enear the door. Wash the windows. If your house numbers are not clear from the street, or you don’t have numbers on the house, clean or add them. It’s difficult for a buyer to locate your house if they can’t read the numbers.

Now that you have the outside picture perfect and everyone wants to see the inside, here are tips for the inside of your house:

Clean, clean, clean. The house must pass the white glove test. You may like the purple walls, but it’s unlikely buyers will. Paint, it’s the quickest and cheapest way to fix your home. Consider neutral colored paint, you may find it boring, but most people don’t like to live around strong or bright colors. Clean all light fixtures, particularly glass globes or panels, replace light bulbs if they are not working. Re-arrange furniture to make the room look larger. This may require removing some furniture and putting it in storing.

Remove the clutter. An empty kitchen or bathroom counter top may not be convenient, but it looks nice. It’s not fun, but remove soap scum from bathtubs, and showers. Buyers are turned off immediately by the sight of it. Replace caulk around doors and tubs. Hang pretty towels in bathroom and kitchens. Straighten closets and storage areas, you want them to appear as capacious as possible. Stack items neatly on shelves. Line up shoes. If you have pets, it is absolutely essential that your house does not smell like them. Consider hiring a professional to remove odors.