Simple Solutions to Selling in a Buyer's Market

While there are many people who will tell you that there is some sort of "magic" formula to selling in this kind of market, the oldest strategies still hold true. When selling in a buyer's market, sometimes the simplest, cheapest options are the best to secure a sale. Cleaning the house, clearing away clutter and neat landscaping are three ways you can make your house stand out.

Removing clutter that distracts the eye from the home itself will aid you in showcasing your home. Rent a storage locker and store such pieces of furniture that interfere with the best impression your home can give. Try storing your packing boxes in an unobtrusive part of your home if you can't get them out to a storage facility. If your home is smaller, think spacious and minimalist - less furniture will give your prospective buyers the impression that there is more space.

It may pain you, but remove personalized things from the immediate viewing area. The refrigerator should be clear of pictures, the walls clear of family photos. This helps a buyer to better imagine your house as "theirs". Tell yourself and your family that the new home can be personalized to your heart's content, but for now, a more neutral setting is needed to produce the effect you want.

Cleanliness is one of the most effective selling techniques that you can utilize. A clean home sends a subtle message to the buyer that the home is naturally light, bright and sparkling. Clear windows that let in all the natural light possible sell homes much faster than dirt-streaked ones, covered by scrubby blinds or dingy curtains. Make your home surpass others of its kind by cleaning the seldom-seen and -used areas such as closet corners and basements. Surface cleanliness sends the message that the home is well-cared-for.

The outside of your home will benefit from a wash or paint, as will attention to details of the trim. A well-mowed lawn, tended garden and pruned trees and bushes will tell prospective buyers that you are serious with your home upkeep. While none of this is done without a significant outlay of time, money or both, the impression you are striving for is that of easy upkeep and a clean property. Clean and paint outbuildings and get rid of any junk that has been lying around. If there is a naturally messy place, such as a woodpile, you can at least see that the wood is neatly stacked, the area swept free of chips and sawdust and tools neatly and safely in their proper places.

Cleaning, de-cluttering and landscaping are three of the cheapest, most effective options you have for selling your home in a buyer's market. A home that is easy to navigate, that gleams with cleanliness and is attractively landscaped will be miles ahead of similar, but less well-cared-for, residences. by Tina Fountain

Tools to Rev up Your Home's Curb Appeal

It's important when you're selling your home to have the outside space looking its best, no matter what season it is. Naturally, during the cold, wet months this can be a challenge. But as spring approaches, it's a good time to invest in some handy gadgets that will make quick work of improving your curb appeal.

Say you're getting ready to show your home, and you've put a lot of hours into creating a beautiful spring landscape. There are sweet-smelling flowers, tasty vegetable plants, and thriving shrubbery. Next thing you know, gophers and moles are destroying all your hard work.

To get rid of pests humanely, pick up a Solar Underground Pest Deterrent. Harnessing solar power, this garden gadget will oust your resident pests without adding harmful chemicals to the environment--and without raising your electric bill.

This device features a garden spike made out of weatherproof aluminum, with a solar panel sitting on top. It works by producing sonic vibrations that drive away underground pests within a range of 94.5 feet. The Pest Deterrent will work for about 8 hours before needing to be recharged by the sun, and it works both day and night.

If grazing deer are munching on your prized plants, there is also the battery-operated Deer Chaser. Like the Solar Pest Deterrent, the Deer Chaser uses ultrasonic sound and light to deter deer from your lawn. No electricity and no chemicals are needed with this great device. The range of the Deer Chaser is approximately 25 feet.

What if your beloved pet is the one being a pest? Barking dogs can be intimidating and annoying to buyers who are trying to inspect your home. If you can't find a dog-sitter and you don't want to muzzle your pet, try one of the new ultrasonic bark control units.

Available in collar form or as discreet stand-alone units, these devices are activated by the sound of barking. They emit an irritating noise that only dogs can hear, every time they bark. The noise, while not harmful, is so abhorrent to dogs that they stop barking immediately. As soon as your open house is over, you can turn the device off and enjoy a pleasant conversation with your pooch.

If your property is looking drab from the winter weather, but you don't have time to plant a garden from scratch before your next open house, there is a fabulous new invention that makes gardening as simple as watering a carpet.

The Fragrant Garden Roll is a mat that has been pre-seeded with a variety of popular flowers. You just cut the mat to your desired size and shape, lay it out where you want the flowers to grow, and water it frequently. Flowers will bloom in record time.

There's a similar product called Roll N' Grow Miracle Garden that works the same way, with about 1,000 seeds in every mat. The seeds are embedded in mulch, so the mat actually inhibits weed growth, without the use of chemicals. The mat is also 100% biodegradable, so you don't have to worry about harming the environment with this product. You can decorate the edges of your driveway, create attractive flower beds, and add blooms to potted plants. These roll-out gardens are an excellent way to enhance your home's curb appeal, without a lot of effort or expense. by Mike Andruff