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If you’re considering selling your house, you might be tempted to sink some money into home improvements. After all, gleaming new hardwood floors or a stunning wrap-around deck will make your property sell a lot faster, and for more money. And you’ll more than recover your investment with the higher selling price. Right?

Maybe not. While those types of upgrades will certainly make your house more attractive to potential buyers – and may nudge the selling price up a little – you may not recoup all of your costs.

That’s why major home improvements should be done for your own personal enjoyment, not as a tactic for preparing your property for sale.

So what types of upgrades do make sense? The good news is that the home improvement projects that are most likely to help sell your house are also the cheapest to implement. If you’re planning on selling your house, consider doing the following:

• Paint
• Make repairs
• Remove stains
• Trim hedges
• De-clutter
• Plant flowers
• Improve lighting

Sniff, sniff. “What is that smell?”

That is definitely not the reaction you want a potential buyer to have when they view your house.

The problem with common household scents – from family pets, preferred cooking styles, smoking, or even hobbies such as model-making – is that we get accustomed to them. However, someone who enters the house for the first time will notice these aromas right away.

So, before a viewing appointment or open house, be sure household scents are under control. A good airing usually does the trick.

Selling a house can be a stressful process for the entire family. You need to keep the place clean and looking its best. You need to stay away during viewings. You may even need to look for a new home at the same time.

Although you won’t be able to eliminate all the anxiety, good advanced planning will certainly help reduce it.

First, talk to a REALTOR® well before you decide to put the property on the market. A good REALTOR® can help you determine whether any repairs, improvements, or minor touch-ups should be done, so that your home will sell faster and for the best price possible.

Once the property is on the market, plan some excursions with the family during open houses and other viewing times. These are the perfect opportunities to check out local restaurants, museums, parks and other amenities.

To keep your home clean and tidy for potential buyers, consider hiring a maid service on a short-term basis. You’ll have a lot on your plate during this period and having the floors and washrooms cleaned by someone else can relieve a lot of stress.

When it comes to “staging” your home for sale – which basically means ensuring it looks clean and uncluttered – you probably already know the basics: clean the counters, vacuum the floors, mow the lawn, etc.

But there are some home staging tips that are less obvious, yet can help to sell your property faster and for a higher price. For example…

The Kitchen

Obvious: The stove, sinks and countertops should be spotless.
Not-so-obvious: The contents of your cabinets and refrigerator should be facing face forward.

The Bathrooms

Obvious: They should be clean and uncluttered. Have fresh towels hanging neatly on the rack. (The “hotel bathroom” look.)
Not-so-obvious: All towels should match. Ensure toilet lids are closed.

Your Bedroom

Obvious: Make the bed neatly. Check that the closet is organized and uncluttered. (If your closet is bulging with clothes, put some in storage.)
Not-so-obvious: Don’t leave any clothes out. Even clean clothes neatly folded in a hamper can seem untidy to some people.

The Kids’ Bedrooms

Obvious: They need to be clean and, especially, uncluttered. (Good luck!)
Not-so-obvious: Arrange stuffed animals, games and other toys like an attractive display in a toy store. It’s okay to have a toy, like a race track, out of the box. Just make sure it’s completely put together. (No pieces lying around.)

The Garage

Obvious: Make sure the floor is clean and that things are put away.
Not-so-obvious: If possible, get everything (except the car!) off the floor and onto shelves and hanging hooks. This will make a dramatic difference in how roomy the garage will look.

These not-so-obvious staging tips may seem minor, but they add up to a home that is much more attractive to potential buyers.

As you tour a potential new home, you notice that the carpeting in the living room is stained. “Don’t worry about that,” says the homeowner, who senses your disapproval. “We’re going to get the carpeting professionally cleaned before we move.”

Should you take their word for it?

Regardless of how honest a seller may seem, never rely on a verbal promise.

Will they move that abandoned car in the back yard? Will they fix the crack in the front steps? Is that expensive-looking ceiling fan included with the house?

Don’t assume. Get it written into the offer.

“Stuff” accumulates. It’s a timeless principle in every household. It accumulates. And accumulates!

Chances are, your basement, garage, and closets are filled with things you don’t want to have to pack and haul on moving day.

The solution? Have a “Moving Out” sale!

Expect a crowd. Bargain hunters love a “Moving Out” sale even more than a Garage Sale because they expect that prices will be lower.

Once you realize that you won’t have to deal with all that clutter on moving day, you’ll love it too.

“Can we afford it?” That’s the first thought that comes to mind when shopping for your next dream home. Fortunately it’s an easy question to answer if you consider your lifestyle, financial goals, expenses and mortgage eligibility.

Lifestyle

There’s more to life than just paying the mortgage and other living expenses. Hobbies, entertainment, vacations, family adventures, and charitable causes are also important. Don’t be house poor. Think of your “lifestyle” as another bill you must pay — to yourself.

Financial Goals

Your new home is not just a place to live. It’s also an investment. Make sure it fits with your overall investment plan, which may also include retirement savings, education funds, emergency cash, and more.

House Expenses

The mortgage isn’t your only home expense. You must also calculate insurance, utilities, taxes, maintenance and other costs.

Amenities, such as a pool, can turn your home into an oasis. But, you must be prepared for the upkeep costs.

If you’re buying an older home, expect repair and maintenance costs to be higher.

Mortgage Eligibility

Your mortgage eligibility is determined by your current income, debt level, employment history, and credit rating. Lenders use this information combined with estimates of your new home property taxes and heating/cooling expenses to determine the largest mortgage they can offer you.

Home affordability is like a jigsaw puzzle. You need to put all the pieces together to get a clear picture of how much home you can afford.

Most advice on how to prepare your house for sale involves how the property will look to a potential buyer. Appearance is, of course, very important if you want to sell a house quickly and for the best price. But there are three other senses you have to satisfy as well.

Hearing. Check for creaks in the floor, a rattling washer or dryer, or any other unpleasant noise. You may no longer notice these sounds, but potential buyers will.

Smelling. You might love the aroma of exotic cooking, but visitors may not. Also check for other obvious sources of odours: such as ashtrays, laundry hampers, garbage bins and toilets.

Touching. Make sure countertops, door handles, floors and other surfaces are free of dust and dirt. If potential buyers feel the need to wipe their hands after touching something, they won’t leave with a good impression.

Appealing to all the senses helps to ensure that your house shows well.

According to studies, colds and flu bugs are passed from one person to another more often in the home than in any other location, including school and the workplace. Of food-based bacterial infections, 65% are picked up at home.

What can you do to reduce the risk?

Obviously, keeping rooms clean is important. But, according to The Lung Association, you are 200 times more likely to pick up a germ in the kitchen than in any other room, including the bathroom! So give the kitchen priority when cleaning.

Most people know to keep countertops, sinks and toilets clean and sanitized. But when was the last time you cleaned your computer keyboard, children’s toys, bedside tables, and door knobs? Experts say these areas have among the highest concentration of bacteria in a home!

When it comes to airborne viruses, such as those that cause the flu, be sure to use a tissue when coughing or sneezing. When a tissue is not readily available, use the shoulder of your sleeve or inner elbow, rather than your hand.

By taking some simple precautions, experts say you can reduce your, and your family’s, risk of getting a cold, flu or bacterial infection by as much as 50%.

If you plan on putting your property on the market, it can be tempting to list it for a very high price in the hope that some buyer will say “yes”. But that rarely happens.

In fact, it is more likely that your property will sit on the market for a long time with no takers, and home buyers and their agents will quickly lose interest in even seeing it.

The fastest way to sell your property for the highest price possible is by listing it as close to its fair market value as possible. That’s the price similar homes in your area have sold for recently.

The good news is that the fair market value of your home may be higher than you think. So if you’re considering making a move within the next few months, ask a good Realtor® to drop by and do an informal appraisal. That will give you a clearer idea of what your property will sell for in today’s market.