If you’re thinking about selling your Property, you may be timing it right: in March alone, a record 692,000 single-family homes were sold in America. However, to maximize your selling potential, you need to make sure you have prepared your home appropriately. This doesn’t necessarily mean renovating your kitchen to make it ‘current’. In fact, there are several simple, cost-effective tasks you should prioritize because of the way they make your property seem more attractive, spacious, and relaxing.

1. Work from the outside in

No matter how appealing your property looks inside, people’s first impressions are going to be based on what they see from the outside. Remember that they will be imagining coming ‘home’ to this every day, so put time into making the exterior look appealing.  This includes ensuring drains and gutters are in good shape and the windows are clean. The yard is also a priority, with research indicating that landscaping can speed up the sale of your home by six weeks. This is because of the potential for more privacy from trees, bushes and fences, and the calming effect of being surrounded by well-maintained, attractive greenery. Spruce up the yard by keeping the lawn healthy and, if need be, plant some attractive plants to make it all the more inviting.

2. Declutter as much as possible

New eye-tracking devices revealed that potential buyers spend nearly a quarter of the time during house viewings eyeing up clutter. Research shows that clutter triggers a stress response in the brain, which obviously won’t help your chances of a sale when it comes to potential buyers looking round your property. So, keep your floors, gangways and shelves as clear as possible, and don’t have too many photographs or posters on the walls; these can act as a distraction and make it hard for viewers to detach from the fact that it is someone else’s home; you want them to be able to picture themselves living there, after all.

3. Repaint the walls where necessary

Another important consideration when preparing your property for sale is the condition of your walls. Update any tired-looking walls – inside and outside – with a fresh coat of paint. This is important for two reasons: it will give the impression of a well-kept home, and, if you opt for light colors inside, will create a sense of space rather than drawing your attention to the walls.

4. Home truths: little tasks make a big difference

You may not have a huge budget when it comes to preparing your home for a sale. However, you don’t need to break the bank to make your property appealing to prospective buyers. By paying close attention to presentation, both inside and out, you can give yourself a very good chance of making a sale.