| To do it right, home-owners can utilize the quiet | | | | haven't used in years.-If a room requires a |
| mid-winter months to do their decorating and | | | | freshing-up with new paint, trend colors might be |
| marketing homework for today's home buyers. The | | | | right for you, but neutral warm colors are favored by |
| dated wallpaper and faded parquet floors say more | | | | the majority of homebuyers.-Take a good look at |
| about the way you've kept house and possibly the | | | | your artwork before you reinstall after painting. Pack |
| way you have maintained your home to prospective | | | | and store excessive amounts of family photos, |
| buyers than you realize. It might also lower the | | | | religious art and anything offensive including |
| bottom line on the sale of your home. The best way | | | | nudity.-Heavy drapes weigh rooms down. A quick |
| to shorten the time your home is on market and | | | | decorating update for any room is new blinds or |
| possibly bring the highest price is take the time during | | | | shades. Choose neutral colors so buyers perceive |
| the winter months to make a plan of action and put | | | | that they won't have to spend the time or money to |
| it into motion, so when the robins sing you can place | | | | install new window fashions.-Thinning closets, |
| a "sold" sign in your yard.-Host a pre-market open | | | | cabinets, basements, attics and garages will help your |
| house. Invite friends, family and three full time real | | | | storage spaces look larger. If you can't part with |
| estate agents to an early Sunday afternoon "get to | | | | items, rent a storage locker to hold items for decision |
| know" your home open house. Prepare some hot | | | | making later.-Fireplaces are a big plus. If you have |
| chocolate, coffee and homemade sweets to serve | | | | one but don't use it, hire a chimney sweep and have |
| your invitation-only guests. People love a sneak | | | | the firebox and ash pit cleaned.-Don't forget the |
| preview and it will help get the word out that you'll | | | | basement, dark, dirty and musty basements are a |
| be selling your home in spring market. Ask for | | | | turn-off to buyers. Add extra lighting, paint the floor |
| feedback from all guests and be ready for what | | | | and vacum out all the cobwebs. Organize storage |
| you'll hear, the good and the bad.-Start a file on the | | | | areas and take the time to clean the washing |
| sale of your home. Have a to-do list of repairs, | | | | machine and dryer. To spruce up the hot water |
| updates and streamlining with a timeline to complete | | | | heater and furnace, wipe down with a strong cleaner. |
| before your home goes on market. Gather | | | | Scrub the laundry tub and sweep left-over leaves out |
| references for contractors if you need to hire work | | | | of exterior stairs and window wells. Run a |
| done. Mid-winter months are typically slow for the | | | | dehumidifier to reduce basment moisture.-Have your |
| building trades and a good time to schedule | | | | furnace and air-conditioning systems serviced.Test |
| repairs.-Establish a must-do list of items that have to | | | | smoke detectors and install carbon monoixde |
| be completed before you go on market. These can | | | | detectors if you don't already have. Home inspectors |
| include cleaning or installing new carpeting, refinishing | | | | red-flag homes without pro-active warning |
| hardwood floors or eliminating dated and worn | | | | systems.-The garage might not be a top priority, but |
| wallpaper. New kitchen appliances can do wonders for | | | | neat, well-maintained garage/workshops are in big |
| otherwise tired kitchens, and buyers love new | | | | demand. Verify if your automatic garage door opener |
| stainless steel look.-Don't forget to have all the inside | | | | operates properly and lubicate all overhead door |
| and outside surfaces of your windows cleaned. This | | | | tracks.-Don't overlook the landscaping. Over-grown |
| often over-looked and laborious job can be hired-out | | | | trees and shrubs can be pruned back or cut down in |
| and should be done within a week of placing your | | | | the winter months.Mark Nash, real estate author of |
| home on market.-Take all left-over holiday | | | | "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home" and a real |
| decorations down, organize and donate any you | | | | estate broker in Chicago. Mr. |