By Sheryl Smolkin

One sure sign of spring is the “For Sale” signs sprouting on lawns across the country along with the dandelions and tulips. Whether you are downsizing or upsizing, you want to get the best possible price for your home.

If you live in a house long enough it is easy to overlook the watermark on the ceiling where the shower leaked or the wear and tear on the kitchen cabinets. But prospective buyers will notice everything. Unless you spruce the place up a bit, your house may take a long time to sell and the proceeds of sale might be much lower than the listing price.

Here are 10 things you can you can do to increase the odds that you will get top dollar for your house:[i]

1. Internet ready: Most prospective buyers let their fingers do the walking first on the Internet and they want to see pictures. That means you have to make ensure your home is photo-ready and even hire a professional photographer.
2. When to list: Spring and fall are typically the best times to list. Families with children often prefer to move at the end of the school year. The curb appeal of homes can be higher in these seasons and buyers may be more in the mood to house hunt when they don’t have climb through snow. However, in prime time there also may be more competing listings in your area.
3. Improve curb appeal: Take down the Christmas lights. Put away snow shovels. Make sure the grass is cut and either plant flowers or buy flowers in pots. If the paint on the outside trim or the garage door is worn, arrange for touch-ups. House hunters will very quickly form a first impression of your home when they drive up.
4. Clean it up: Wash carpets, walls, dust the chandeliers, clean bathroom grout. A 2010 Home Sale Maximizer Survey by the blog HomeGain estimated the cost of scouring and organizing a house at about $200 and the resulting expected home price increase at $1,700. That’s an 870% return on your investment!
5. Declutter: The larger and more open your home appears, the easier it will be for buyers to imagine living there. Get rid of piles of magazines or newspapers. Thin out the books on your bookshelves. Put away or store kitchen appliances that take up scarce space on your counters.
6. Paint: If your paint job is in poor condition or you currently have distinctive or dark colours, consider a paint job in a neutral colour or white. It will make your home look larger, cleaner and brighter.
7. Stage right: You may have either too much or too little furniture and other stuff on display. Take the advice of your real estate agent or a staging professional. Put items in storage if necessary and change the layout of the rooms. Get rid of small items on coffee tables and side tables. If you have moved out, rent furniture so prospective buyers can envisage where their things will fit.
8. Upgrade the hardware: Are your light fixtures outdated with burned out bulbs? How about the handles on your kitchen and bathroom cabinets or the mirrors? Upgrading small things at a small cost can often enhance the look of your home.
9. Relocate the pets: Fleecy and Fido may be much-loved members of your family, but that doesn’t mean somebody else’s family will feel the same way. During the period your house is for sale, give your pets a vacation. And make sure all sign of them like balls of fur growing in corners and the kitty litter are removed.
10. Fresh smells: If your house smells musty, of cigarette smoke, pet odours or last night’s dinner, buyers will be turned off. Air out the house. Get rid of old smelly carpets. Avoid air fresheners because many people are allergic to scents or find them offensive. A real estate agent once told me to boil cinnamon or bake cookies (and leave them on a plate) before an open house.

[i] See Get top dollar for your home