There are some items in your home that might need a fix. A few bucks can go a long way in making your house more appealing to potential buyers. It may also avoid some issues at the time of the buyer's inspection of your property. Some of the following suggestions will also help with home staging.

• Wash Windows. It seems so simple, but it goes a long way. Just like when you clean your car windows, buyers want to have a "clean" view looking outside.
• Clean Carpet. If your carpet has food, pet or dirt stains, get your carpets cleaned. When buyers see dirty carpets, they usually assume the rest of the house is dirty, too.
• Clean/Service the Furnace & Central Air Conditioning. These are considered "big ticket" items for a buyer to maintain and replace. By making sure these are in good working order, you are taking away potential ammunition for a buyer at inspection time.
• Clean Closets. This is another place buyers will no doubt look. When buyers begin to see parts of the house that are cluttered and unorganized they often draw conclusions to the general condition of the house and its systems.
• Yard Maintenance. If you don't have a yard, you are in the clear on this point. If you do, make sure the lawn is regularly mowed and watered, and weeds pulled. If it's wintertime, shovel the snow to give buyers easy and safe access to the front door. Plus, you want to make a good first impression when the buyer and their agent drive up to your house.
• Get a Roof Certification. If you have a roof that is around 20 years old, or looks like it might be that old, call a roofing company to obtain a roof certification. If it can be certified, they will generally give a 5-year certification. If your roof has issues, it's far better to deal with it now then after an inspection when buyers will ask for repairs and/or replacement. Talk with your Realtor for more information about certification guidelines.
• Clean the Bathrooms & Kitchen. These rooms are the most desired and used rooms in the house. Buyers often will open the oven and check behind the shower curtain in the bathrooms to see if the house is really clean. There is nothing worse than finding a dirty bathroom or kitchen when showing a house. This definitely turns a buyer off!
• Hold a Garage Sale. This is one of the best ways to eliminate clutter and unwanted items from your home. Go through your closets, sift through things in the basement and the garage. Whatever you don't sell at the end of the day, donate it. There are plenty of organizations that are happy to take what you don't want.

Of course, we realize it is difficult to keep your house clean all of the time when on the market especially if you have children or pets. Just do the best you can. Remember, you are protecting one of your greatest assets and looking to sell your property for top dollar.