Your job as the home seller is to appeal to a home buyer’s sense of sight, scent, and value. These practical tips for preparing your home for sale ensure you’ll see the best possible return on your investment for the least amount of cash.

• Keep in mind, the home you are trying to sell will be the new home for the home buyer.

• Make your home light, bright, airy, and fresh by opening the blinds to let the sunshine in, opening windows in pleasant weather to remove stale odors, and clean, clean, clean! Nothing says home quite like a freshly scrubbed, clean smelling house.

• Remove photographs of family and friends from view so potential home buyers can imagine themselves living in your house.

• Repaint in areas that need it. Many of today's home buyers are busy people without the time it would take to ready a house that needs "some work" before they can move in.

• Eliminate clutter! Your home won't sell quickly if it looks like there's no room to store things.

• Put all pet food and water bowls away during showings. Some people don't feel the same way about Fido and Fluffy as you do.

• You never get a second chance to make a first impression! Don't forget the outside of the house - the curb appeal - the view from the car as you first drive up. Make all potential home buyers want to come inside and take a look around. Make your house their new home.

The extra time and effort you put forth preparing your house for sale can pay off in thousands of extra dollars in your purse or pocket at closing. Appealing to a potential home buyer's senses is key to a successful home sale. It just makes cents!

Melinda Anderson is an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP), Professional Organizer, and owner of Southern Home Organizers in Atlanta, Georgia. Visit http://southernhomeorganizers.com/ for more tips about getting organized, home staging and moving.

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