Sometimes the best things in life are free. One of them is not owning a home, because there are costs to home ownership.

Owning a home—let alone purchasing one—is not cheap, but is definitely the goal of many people.

If you’re a home seller, there are a few things you just cannot afford to neglect. If you do the following, selling a house will be easier and will pay a handsome dividend. And your bank account will thank you for it.

These tips will also help in selling the home faster, which means you can trade time for time. The following are low-cost suggestions that should be considered in preparing your home for sale.

1.Routine home maintenance—Clean Up—get your crap outta there. Have you ever checked into a nice hotel? A really nice one?In your mind’s eye, walk into the bathroom… what do you see?

What do you see when you walk into the bedroom area? Exactly! You don’t see clothes everywhere. The bed is neatly made and there are no foreign objects lying around on the bedside table.

The same goes for the washroom, the laundry room and just about every other part of the house a buyer is sure to venture into.

Routine home maintenance is important in every aspect of the house. That includes everything from putting your clothes away to home painting.

2. Organize—Blame MTV’s Cribs or Million Dollar Agent—yes, buyers will look in your fridge, even in your kitchen cupboards.

So, why does it matter to you if the cupboards are organized? Because we’re trying to make a lasting impression on the buyer. We want them being wowed with every facet of your home.

We want them to feel confident that the current owner has cared for this home beyond expectations. And we ultimately want the buyer to make us an offer that we can’t refuse

People that buy and sell somewhat frequently understand this.

3. Bang for your buck—the streets of Beverly Hills are lined with mansions. Mansions worth a lot of money—millions upon millions of dollars.

Do you know what else lines the streets of Beverly hills? Perfect boulevards. Manicured grass and properly pruned trees. Fresh flowers and no garbage and debris.

Make the appearance of your home look like its own version of Beverly Hills and you’ll be one step closer to being on a real estate TV show in no time.

Consider painting kitchen cabinets. Bathroom cabinets, too. Look to Google for commercial painting services or your local real estate agent for a recommendation.

Look on Realtor.ca and MLS to see what other homes for sale look like. Tim Allen on Home Improvement also knows best. Make sure to hire a professional if you touch anything like electrical or plumbing.

A good sellers agent can make recommendations based on local market conditions. Recommend painting companies and handyperson services. Quality paints or cheap and cheerful can be decided upon with a consultation.

If your home needs a paint job, or even a new sump pump, a real estate brokerage should be able to recommend what is important to home buyers.

These small improvements affect what a home is worth. After all, aren’t you trying to sell for the most amount of money?

The Big Mistake

If you’re a home seller and you were preparing to get your house ready for Realtor.ca and MLS, be careful where you invest your money.

There are certain aspects of a home that have proven to yield a higher return on investment. For example, home renovations like a new kitchen or bathroom appeal to many buyers as they don’t have to go through the renovation process after they move in.

Nowadays, putting in a swimming pool and having a clean yard goes a long way. With more people moving to the suburbs swimming pools are more popular than ever.

However, finishing basements and doing an addition for the purposes of selling are probably not money well spent. It’s important to invest money into your home that adds to its curb appeal and overall first impression.

1 + 1 does not equal 2 in a real estate transaction. Before spending significant money on your home it is recommended to consult with your local real estate brokerage. Real estate agents are in and out of many homes and work with fires. This gives them first-hand knowledge of buyer trends.

Cleaning up that garage and removing Christmas lights from months ago shows signs of pride of ownership. It all makes a difference in the end as buyers base their purchasing decisions on how they feel.

If a home shows that it is cared for and loved, the chances of a buyer making an offer earlier in the listing—and for more money—increase. It’s important to keep up with home maintenance and home repairs.

If you’re unsure of the condition of your home, consider hiring a home inspector. Having a home inspection done is like having home insurance. It safeguards you against any surprises at a later date.

Home styling and home decor go a long way as well. A properly styled home can affect home prices. Home staging and decluttering go a long way.

General home maintenance, like keeping gutters clean of debris and water away from foundations impresses upon the buyer that the home is well maintained. It also helps with personal liability should the worst happen and you have to call your insurance company.

Advice In A Nutshell

• Consult with a local real estate agent who knows what buyers are looking for in your marketplace
• Pay attention to the small details, like organizing cupboards and decluttering
• Home improvements, such as painting old kitchen cupboards yield a tremendous result in the form of a higher sale price
• Think of your home like a fancy hotel. It’s how buyers see all that matters when they walk through your home.