Selling an existing home in this emerging buyer’s market takes more creativity than it did two years ago. Anyone wanting to sell their house in today’s market needs to consider how to make their “product” stand above the rest.

Organizing Your House to Sell is a simple system to make a house appeal to the broadest range of buyers and to create a positive first impression. Although home staging is widely used in the higher end of the real estate market, Organize to Sell is an affordable consideration for more moderate priced homes.

Before your house is listed, I suggest the following 10 tips to get it ready to sell.

Develop “buyers eyes”- That is the ability to look at the house as the prospective buyer would, to see the dripping faucet, to notice the rickety gate, and the many other minor quirks that you may have learned to live with. It can be difficult to separate your feelings about your home from the house itself. Spend an afternoon going to a few open houses in your neighborhood and put on your “buyer’s eyes”. When you come home, you will have a new appreciation for your own house, from a buyer’s point of view.

Repairs – First impressions are lasting, and you only get one chance at it. With your “buyer’s eyes”, beginning at the entrance to your property, go through the house room by room, and around the yard too, and make an objective repair list. Complete all those repairs before the house goes on the market.

Neutralize and Simplify – How you live in your home is very different than how you want to display your house to sell. Creating a neutral, yet comfortable atmosphere is important in order for prospective buyers to be able to imagine themselves living in a new space. Tone down dramatic wall colors, put away all but a very few family photos, and minimize the knick-knacks.

Clutter eats Equity – When buyers step into your house, you want them to immediately see the best features of the house, not to be distracted by your stuff. You can pre-pack any seasonal belongings and clothes that you will not be using before you move. If you are planning to have a yard sale, schedule it before you even list the house.

Organize – Clear out and organize closets and cupboards, so they look more spacious. Every room’s purpose should be obvious to the prospective buyer. If it is a guest bedroom, make sure the exercise equipment, camping gear and Christmas wrap are out of there, packed up, and neatly stored in the garage.

Clean – Clean – Clean -Your house should be meticulously clean. Sparkling windows, no pet odors, bright tile grout, ceiling fan blades dust free, no fingerprints on the doorframes, and carpets professionally cleaned. Everything in the house needs to sparkle; giving the buyer the feeling of a well cared for home.

Pet owners and Smokers take note – Move the kitty litter box to the garage and caged pets such as birds and hamsters need to be kept exceptionally clean. Vacuum daily if you have dogs or cats, or if you smoke. You do not want odors to be the memorable feature of any room!

Personal Security – Create a safe place to lock up all personal papers when the house is being shown.

Enhancement – Once the house is repaired, neutralized, de-cluttered and cleaned, it is time for a little enhancement. The key areas to create visual impact are, the entry and living room, the kitchen, the master bedroom and the bathrooms. Arrange the furniture to highlight the architectural features of a room, such as a great view, or a fireplace. If the furniture is a little tired looking, purchase inexpensive slipcovers and a few new throw pillows. Open the drapes to let in natural light. In the bathrooms, clear counter tops of all the personal items. The only things to have out should be a new, decorative soap, a hand towel and one ornamental accessory. The same idea applies in the kitchen. Keep the counter tops clear except for one or maybe two appliances and one decorative element, such as a large bowl of fruit.

Have a Quick Clean up Strategy – Be ready to show the house at a moment’s notice. A plastic bin that will fit under the bed can be used to scoop up and hide miscellaneous clutter, and you will know where to find those items later.

Potential buyers decide in the first 30 seconds whether a house is right for them. Make those precious 30 seconds work for you to sell your house quickly, and for top dollar.