These simple improvements could mean the difference between a quick sale and months on the market.

Appearance matters when it comes to purchasing a house. Not only do prospective buyers want an attractive space to call home, they also want to get the most for their money. If your house is dirty, or the exterior needs work, that could communicate to prospective buyers that they are not getting the value for the price. By simply cleaning, organizing, and depersonalizing your home, you improve your chances for selling your home sooner.

Here are our tips for prepping your home for sale:

Update your landscaping: Prospective buyers care about curb appeal, and your yard offers a dramatic first impression of your home when people come to tour. Be sure to mow the grass, trim the hedges, weed, and plant new flowers. Prospective buyers would rather maintain a beautiful yard than start from scratch.

Wash your exterior: Make your home look like new again by pressure washing the exterior to rinse away dirt and other residue.

Grab your toolbelt: As mentioned above, prospective buyers want the most value for their investment, and generally don’t want to spend thousands of dollars for a home that they will then have to invest more in for repairs. Check the roof, fix the electrical, and any other quirks that might deter a prospective buyer.

Spruce up your front door: Your home’s entryway can make for a wonderful accent. Give your front door a fresh coat of paint that contrasts with your other exterior colors, and replace worn house numbers to ensure they can easily be read from the street.

Replace your welcome mat: Buy a new welcome mat for the entryway. It’s a simple touch that will reinforce to prospective buyers that they are welcome in your home.

Create a blank canvas: It is essential to organize clutter and remove personal effects so that potential buyers can easily envision their family and belongings in the house. Rent a storage unit to temporarily store items while the house is on the market.

Polish your surfaces: Ensure that your home passes the white glove test by removing all dirt and dust, and polishing surfaces like your floors, countertops, and ceiling fans. A clean house is a happy house.

Tone down your paint colors: Even though paint colors are easy to change, loud colors like “Radioactive Tangerine” could turn off buyers. Paint the walls something neutral to help prospective buyers better imagine the room in their home. Dark colors can also make a room appear smaller, and sucks up all the light, so a light beige or gray will provide buyers with a brighter, seemingly larger room.

Provide Pleasant Odors: You’ll definitely want to get rid of any odor offenders like cat litter boxes or garbage, and place some fresh cut flowers, or bake some cookies to fill your home with an inviting aroma.

Is it time to start looking for a new home for your family? Stop by your closest First Reliance Bank location today to talk to our mortgage professionals. For more helpful tips for homeowners, follow the Better Side of Life Blog.