Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/594552
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2015 49 Cosy Homes Prepping your house for the Big Sell Ready to sell your home? Don't just list it without any ad- vance preparation. A few minor touch-ups can go a long way to- wards making a favorable impres- sion on potential buyers — and perhaps cinching a deal. 1. Clean, clean, clean. Dust on top of the fireplace mantle and fan blades, polish your appli- ances and taps, and give the windows a thorough washing. If you've already moved out or if you're too busy to stay on top of things, consider hiring a cleaning service to stop by every couple of weeks. 2. Pay attention to smells. Don't cook bacon in your home the day of a showing. Although it might taste great, the smell is strong and lingers for a long time. You don't want your home to smell like a fast food restaurant! 3. Clear out the clutter. You want buyers to focus on how awesome your space is, not how messy it looks. Banish that piles of shoes from the hallway, that stack of mail from the kitchen table and anything else that detracts from your home's gorgeous features. 4. Repaint the walls neutral colors. As much as you love your dramatic red dining room, it could turn off a good portion of your buyers. So re- paint your rooms in neutral tones like tans and whites that allow buyers to focus on the spaces themselves, not the color of the walls. 5. Keep the décor simple. To help buyers imagine them- selves in your space, get rid of any art or other décor that might turn off people with different tastes. A classic landscape painting? Totally fine. Your zebra print leather couch? Might want to slip- cover that for showings. 6. Get rid of personal items. Buyers want to be able to envision themselves in your home, so remove anything overly personal, like family photos in the hallway or your kids' artwork on the fridge. 7. Let there be light! Open up all the windows to let in natural light and add floor or table lamps to areas that are dim. A bright, cheery room looks bigger and more inviting. 8. Bring nature inside. Potted plants or a few pretty buds in a vase can help bring energy into a space, fill in empty cor- ners and even draw attention to features you want buyers to notice. Just make sure the plants are in good health (and bug-free!). 9. Get rid of bulky furniture. Your furniture should fit the scale of the room, so get rid of any extra or oversized items that could make your space look smaller than it really is. 10. Organize your storage. Stor- age space is a huge selling point, and if your closets are stuffed to the brim, buyers will think you don't have enough of it. Invest in some boxes, dividers and other solutions that will help you make your stuff look more organized, and remove extra items you don't need immediately (you can stow them away until you move). Make your home welcoming to potential buyers A quick tidy can make all the difference in selling your home Organize your storage spaces to give buyers an idea of the space's potential