When seeking to sell your home, we can't overstate the need to make a strong first impression!

Sowell agent Shelly Rainwater says this is a fun part of her work, as it helps her bond with her clients. 

“I make sure to tell them that I'd have to do the same things with my own house if I were going to sell. I always explain that how we live in a house and how we dress it to sell can be very different. We have to appeal to the masses and compete with HGTV staging, which does affect price!”

Rainwater offers these step-by-step tips to get your home ready to go on the market.

“Starting on the outside, begin with a tidy exterior pressure wash, replace obvious rotten wood, paint as needed, clean the yard and beds, add seasonal flowers and mulch. 

Next, look at the interior with the same discerning eye — put away anything that makes an area look busy or cluttered. A good way to do this is to start packing for your move by boxing up unneeded items. Take this step with closets as well. This step will also put you ahead of the curve when it comes time to actually move. 

A last tip is to remove or reduce window coverings and open all blinds and remaining curtains, letting in as much natural light as possible. People are surprised to see how much light is blocked by sheer curtains." 

Realize that it can be hard to see your own house objectively.

“Once you think your home is ready, take photos of each room. Simple phone photos will suffice. It's often easier to see clutter, or how a chair might be blocking a path, in a photo than when you are just looking as it. Finally, I walk through their homes with my clients as many times as are needed to make sure we have everything picture perfect.”