Help Your House Sell Itself

Get Your Home Ready for the Market

When Liz Barrett had to sell her Chicago home before she could buy a new one, she ended up with a makeover-not for her, for her home. She invited real estate agent Robert Shearer over to see the two-bedroom condo.

"It wasn't picture-perfect," Liz says. "It had been a busy week and the bed was unmade, and the place was in general disarray."

The condo needed more than simple tidying before he could bring potential buyers for a tour, so Shearer called in William Atkinson, an interior-design consultant who helps when a house needs a little sprucing up. In one hour, they transformed Liz's condo into an aesthetically pleasing and functional space.

"I walked in and had to pick my jaw up off the floor," Liz says. "I couldn't believe what they had done. I felt like I was in a different home."

With zero budget, Shearer and Atkinson transformed the look by rearranging furniture, hiding clutter, and rummaging through closets and cabinets for hidden jewels. Living room furniture was moved away from the walls and placed at an angle to improve traffic flow. They created an intimate conversation area rather than focus attention toward the television. Colorful dish towels were rolled up and placed in a festive basket. Dried wheat grass found in a drawer became a dining-table centerpiece when arranged in a blue glass pitcher.

People are eager to sell, Shearer says, but often hold onto sentimental attachments. "It can be difficult for parents to agree to take Junior's artwork off the fridge," he says, "but if things like that help to declutter and put more focus on the house, it's the right thing to do."

Dallas real estate agent Deb Elder tries to steer homeowners in the right direction when they list their homes. "They should have a friend or real estate agent walk through the house and really take a look at everything-the homeowner just isn't going to be objective," Elder says. Begin with the exterior, which will be competing with the looks of other homes for sale in the neighborhood.

It's important that the front door be in good shape because it's the first thing potential buyers notice while the agent is fumbling with the lockbox. Says Atlanta Realtor Flo Fillingim, "If the door needs painting or there is mold around the casing, it makes buyers think that the entire home has not been well-maintained."