If you are thinking of selling, preparing your home and property for listing will enhance the “curb” appeal when buyers first see your property. Use this list to get started:

Homes and improved properties

Spruce up the yard. Prune trees and shrubs, mow the lawn and plant flowers for a splash of color. If you know you would like to sell in the winter, take digital photos (or call us and we will do it for you) when your garden is in bloom.

Fix everything. Walk around your house and make a list of things that appear to be broken or in disrepair. Fix it, replace it or get rid of it. Fix loose boards, broken windows and light fixtures. It’s better to have items fixed before a potential buyer sees your home, offers a lower price and still demands repairs before closing.

Paint the exterior. If you haven’t painted in a few years, this is one thing you can do that will cost you the least and potentially bring in the highest return.

Get rid of clutter. Remove unused items from inside and outside of your house, garage and grounds. Have a garage sale, donate to nonprofits or rent a storage unit. The Exchange can take many items or call us for ideas about upcoming nonprofit events that may be interested in your old stuff. Uncluttering not only makes your home seem cleaner and brighter, but it also makes spaces look larger.

Clean. Wash carpets, floors, windows, everything. A well-kept home communicates that you are a conscientious homeowner who has taken good care of your property over the years.

Set the stage. Staging your home helps set a certain mood. Statistics show that a potential purchaser of a home makes a decision about whether or not to live in a home within 30 seconds of stepping inside. Create a light, bright and peaceful ambience by opening blinds, turning on lights and having soothing music playing. Install higher-watt bulbs to brighten gloomy areas, make sure garbage and pet odors have been managed, bake bread or cookies (ready-made dough works too), and keep windows open.

Locate plans and permits. These documents are helpful when it comes time to assemble your home’s listing information. This includes septic permits, well reports, surveys and any plans or permits for structures on your property.

Raw land

Clean it up. For established gardens and trees on the property, follow the same guidelines as outlined in the #1 tip for home sellers above. Prune, plant and mow to make the land more inviting.

Survey the land. Consider having your property surveyed and boundary stakes set so buyers know what you are selling.

Create paths. If you own acreage without roads or paths, install some basic trails so that buyers can walk through the property easily.

Consider financing. Can you offer buyers short-term seller financing? This could help us sell your property more quickly.