Today's economic environment has motivated home owners to get the most out of their homes. With our declining housing market and large inventory of foreclosed properties and increasing number of short sales, now more than ever home owners need to be aggressive to find ways to get as much equity out of their homes as they possibly can....And, it can be done!

Good curb appeal is MONEY IN THE BANK! You never get a second chance to make a first impression. That is more true today in real estate than ever before:

•Prune trees and shrubs
•Trim branches away from roof line and outer wall of your home
•Plant flowers for color
•Fill in bare spots in your garden with high foliage plants
•During cooler months, you may want to take photos of the house when flowers are in bloom and the yard looks its best.
•Use these photos if your home is being marketed in off-season times of the year.

Remember when you bought your house? Remember how important it was to have everything checked out and make sure it was operating properly? Well....Things haven't changed.  In today's market - may be more than ever before - it is so important to start out on the right foot when it comes to selling your house.

Take a walk around the house and note everything that is broke, out of alignment or looks bad. Nail in loose shutters; fix or replace screen doors, fence boards, dripping faucets, etc. If you can't fix it, get rid of it or replace it. A window with no screen is better than a window with a ripped screen. It's better to have eveything fixed BEFORE a prospective buyer sees the house, offers lower price AND still demands repairs be done before the sale.

Inside and outside the home, garage and out buildings get rid of what you do not need or use. Especially true on the inside! LESS clutter makes a home appear larger. Remember closets will be opened. Keep them clean and orderly. Have a garage sale, donate to charities or rent a storage unit.                                                          JUST GET RID OF IT!