Have you already listed your house for sale? You’re probably wondering how to sell your house quickly and for the best price possible. Selling a house is similar to a job interview; most interviewees dress to impress their potential employer. When you’re selling your house, you need to dress it up to impress potential buyers.

Once you make your house more attractive to look at, the chances of selling it faster and for more money increase exponentially. Make your home clean and organized on the inside, immaculate landscaping on the outside, and the likelihood of selling quickly just skyrocketed!

HOW HOME STAGING CAN SELL

It’s not always obvious how to stage a home in a way that will get it sold fast. How can you attract the most qualified buyers to your property? How do you make the right impression?

First, you may have to spend some of your selling budget to put your home in the best light. You have to spend it to make it. A few options are available:

• HIRE A PROFESSIONAL STAGER

You can hire a professional home stager, who will have the artistic eye for aesthetics to put your house in it’s best light. Realtors can usually name two or three home stagers who they trust to complete the job well.

Professional stagers often charge for an initial consultation, and then ask for either an hourly rate or a flat rate. The typical costs can range as low as $150 to thousands of dollars – the price depends on your geographical region and the amount of work that needs to be done.

• PAY FOR A CONSULTATION

You might decide to pay for the home stager’s consultation, and then implement the stager’s suggestions yourself. This option is easier on the budget. Homeowners may also have the professional take care of only the main rooms and address everything else on their own.

• DO THE STAGING YOURSELF

If you must be very careful with your selling budget, you can also do your own analysis completely independent of a professional home stager. Home staging requires the “sweat equity” if you want to impress those buyers. This checklist can help you know what to tackle first:

Step 1: Beautify your exterior

• Cut the grass, then spread some weed killer and fertilizer
• Plant fresh flowers or freshen up the garden already there
• Make sure the view from the curb is as attractive as possible (they don’t call it “curb appeal” for nothing!)
• Clean the siding and exterior of the windows

Step 2: Make the inside look cozy

• Vacuum, sweep, and/or mop the floors
• Get rid of cobwebs and dust the corners
• Shampoo the carpets
• Arrange furniture neatly and avoid clutter
• Take out the trash
• Open the windows and curtains to let in light

Step 3: Repair and Replace as Needed

• Broken doors
• Missing cabinet handles/hinges
• Ceilings
• Vent filters
• Any broken tiles throughout the house
• Faucets
• Furniture

Step 4: Ask for Your Friends’ Opinions

Ask your friends to role play a buyer/seller scenario. Tell them to act as if they were buying the home, and give you feedback, good or bad. They’ll help you know when you’ve completed dressed your house to impress and close a deal.

If you’re unsure how to sell your house on your own, take a look at The Ultimate Home Seller’s Checklistto get your home sold as quickly as possible.