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1. Banish Clutter

The single most important thing you should do to prepare your home for picture day is to clear out the clutter. Any room in your home will appear more spacious in the absence of all that ‘stuff.’

It may seem obvious, but sometimes the clutter has been there so long, you don’t even see it anymore. Unfortunately, you can bet that the camera will. Take this opportunity to purge your piles, or at least stash them away for a while. Be sure to clear away personal items, toiletries and other offenders that the camera will catch.

2. Let The Light In

Welcome the flattering natural light by cleaning windows, opening blinds, and maybe even removing heavy curtains or drapery. Turn on all the lights and lamps in advance of the photographer’s arrival to maximize brightness throughout the home.

3. Touch It Up

Just as you may have become blind to the clutter, you may not notice the scuffs, scratches, and other signs of wear-and-tear on your home. While you may not have time for a total paint job, this is a good opportunity to grab a paint brush and freshen up any damaged areas you spot around your home.

4. Add Signs Of Life

While you don’t want to leave evidence of your personal life for the camera to capture, it’s a good idea to breathe new life into your space by bringing in plants and flowers to add pops of color and a feeling of freshness. A bowl of fresh fruit in the kitchen, a single flower in a vase in the bathroom, and potted flowers or plants on the front porch will make your space come alive on film.

5. Do A Walk Through

Prior to the photographer’s arrival, take a tour of your home as if you were seeing it for the first time. Take a very critical eye as you inspect both the exterior and every room inside the house, to catch things like overgrown trees, garbage cans, toys, pet bowls, or other items that a potential home buyer wouldn’t want to picture in their future home.

1. You’re Unsure Whether Your Home Has Any Problems

As a seller, you have to disclose all issues (that you know of) to any buyer. If problems with your home pop up during the buyer’s inspection, there’s a very good chance you’ll have to pony up unexpectedly.

Of course, this is not an ideal scenario. If you’re at all unsure whether your home has any hidden issues, it’s best to find out before listing the property for sale. Then, you can address whatever comes up and fix it so you won’t have to deal with it later when you’re trying to close.

2. You Want an Edge Over the Competition

Getting a pre-listing home inspection done shows buyers that you’re committed, forthright, and honest. It can attract buyers as a result. Plus, it can help upsell the overall quality of your home, especially if you had issues fixed.

Most buyers want to know they’re making a sound investment, no matter what it is they’re purchasing. Your home will skew toward that side if you invest in an inspection.

3. You Want to Save Time and Money for the Final Sale

Issues that pop up during a buyer’s inspection can slow down a sale. Depending on the scale of the problem, you’ll probably have to renegotiate the offer. Plus, if you’re responsible for fixes before you can close, these are unexpected costs you may not have prepared for.

Bottom line: Get a pre-listing inspection and you’ll bypass any unexpected grief later, when you’re on the brink of making a sale and time is of the essence.

4. You Have Blind Spots

After living in a home for a while, we can develop blind spots about its condition. That leaky faucet that we’re perfectly fine living with might be a warning sign for a buyer. The same goes for the broken front steps, the non-functioning chimney, or a million other issues both big and small.

If you’re still looking at your beloved home through rose-colored glasses, an inspection can help you see it for what it truly is: real estate. Once the problems get outlined in writing, that might be the kick you need to make it a solid purchase. That way, you can move on while getting the most bang for your buck.

Start with the walls—give your home an almost instant update by treating interior walls to a fresh coat of paint. Remember that when it comes to resale, you want to appeal to widest audience, so play it safe with clean, neutral colors that will fit almost any design aesthetic.

If tackling all the interior walls is too big of a project or expense, you can start with a fresh coat of white paint on wall trim like molding or baseboards to freshen up a room.

For many buyers, the kitchen is the make-or-break room in the house on which they base their decision. If a remodel is out of the question, spruce up a tired kitchen by painting the exterior of your cabinets. While you’re there, update the hardware to match the new look. The same treatment can go a long way in the bathroom as well.

Finally, don’t neglect the exterior of your home—after all, it’s the first thing a potential home buyer will see. Granted, painting the exterior of your home is a bigger, more complicated undertaking, but it could go a long way in upping your home’s curb appeal. If it’s just too much to take on, focus on any spots that need touching up, or just stick with a fresh new color for the front door.

After an offer has been accepted and the mortgage lender has been given a copy of the purchase agreement, you set the closing date. And then you wait.

Why all the waiting?

Thankfully, the more you know about what happens during the closing process and the more you stay informed throughout the process will make waiting a little less painful. So, let’s help you eliminate (at least some of) the stress by helping you understand what to expect at closing.

What is Closing Anyway?

If you make it to closing, it’s almost time to jump for joy! This is the final step in the purchase process; also referred to as settlement (in the eastern part of the U.S.). It’s at this time when the big contracts come out and you’re required to “sign your life away.” Not really, but this is when ownership is transferred from the seller to the buyer, money exchanges hands and a buyer’s new life as a homeowner begins.

But there are a few things that need to happen before getting to that point. Namely patience.

Getting to the Closing Table

Once the seller accepts an offer, many buyers think they’re “home free.” Not quite.

Always expect the unexpected. For example, being pre-approved for a mortgage loan is not a guarantee; things can still go wrong and unfortunately, you can still be denied by the lender. Avoid any major purchases during this period; major reduction in assets could hurt your final approval status.

Be prepared for anything. Your actual closing costs may also be different from the initial estimate; the HUD-1 statement can give you a more accurate number of your final costs.

Get organized. Make sure you have a homeowner’s insurance policy in place, gather every document received throughout the home-buying process including original purchase contract and inspection.

If you’ve moved to a new home before, you know that the first night in your new place can be chaotic. With a little careful planning, you’ll be sure to have everything you need without having to rip open every single box to dig for stuff. Pack your basics box full of essential items that you’ll need for the first few hours and days in your new home (dumping clothes in the backseat of your car isn’t really the best idea). This box should include items that will enable you to clean your home, deal with minor repairs and even entertain the kids so you can unpack the rest of your boxes.

Set aside important documents and keep these papers together in one box. Include your family’s records, birth certificates, bank statements, car titles, tax information, the lease or deed for your new home and the mover’s contract. Hopefully you won’t necessarily need these papers during the move. But knowing where they are and that you can access them whenever you need to is one simple way to reduce stress in the middle of relocating chaos.

Change Address

Set up mail forwarding and notify the post office about your change of address. Here’s a handy checklist of places you should notify when you move to keep all your bills and birthday cards coming like clockwork:

• Place of employment
• Financial institution/bank/lenders
• Credit card companies
• Utilities, cable, phone and internet providers
• Doctor, dentist, optometrist and other medical professionals you see regularly
• Health insurance company and life insurance company
• Vision/dental/catastrophic insurance company
• Car insurance companies

Give Your Driveway Some TLC

In some cases, curb appeal truly starts at the curb! Examine your porch, sidewalk, and driveway. Are there any cracks, chips, or potholes? For walks that merely need to be cleaned, rent a pressure washer or hire professionals. Otherwise, consider repaving surfaces or adding paving stones to the edges of walkways.

Add Polish with a Fresh Coat of Paint

Have you been putting off repainting your home? Unfortunately, faded, chipping, and flaking paint is one of the first things potential homebuyers will notice. Depending on your neighborhood, you could be creative with the colors you choose for your new siding or paint job. No matter what you choose, however, be sure to coordinate the colors of the body, trim, accents, and door.

Engage Visitors with an Appealing Entryway

Updating your home’s entryway is one of the best ways to boost curbside appeal. Your porch or patio should reflect your home’s style, helping visitors make the transition from outdoors to indoors. To start, replace all worn out fixtures and other older hardware such as the door locks and house numbers. Do not forget to upgrade your porch light and mailbox if either is looking outdated. Replace or repaint your front door if needed, and then consider adding door décor or potted plants to add personality and create an inviting atmosphere. Depending on the time of year, you could use small potted shrubs or other all-weather plants.