Before the “For Sale” sign gets pounded into the front yard, here are some simple but proven ideas how to maximize the value of your home and have it sell well in the real estate market. Just because you think your home is your castle, a buyer may need more convincing. With a little spit and polish, painting and ingenuity your home (cottage or castle) can shine.

Curb appeal for Tucson real estate
The first thing to do is get in your car and drive around the block. Drive up from one side and then the other side. What do you see? Be objective otherwise take along a friend or associate who can be forthright. Now get out of the car and stand on the sidewalk or across the road and what do you see? This is the potential buyer’s first impression or in real estate-speak, what’s your “curb appeal”?

Your front yard should be well manicured with trees trimmed; leaves raked, and be free of weeds or debris, unless of course, your front yard is a grove of stately saguaros then let nature take its course. Otherwise, accentuate with vibrantly colored potted plants.

Replace your welcome mat. Aside from the yard, a front door will leave a lasting impression because it’s the threshold to your kingdom. Be sure the front door is clean. If it needs a coat of paint, paint it. If it’s a natural wood like knotty alder or a custom metal door, be sure it glistens.

Less is more for residential staging
You may nest comfortably in your own personal clutter but the rule of thumb, “less is more”, will now be your mantra. Time to have a yard sale, donate items to a favorite charity, or pack up these prized possessions and put them in storage. Your house should yield an impression of spaciousness and light. Open the drapes, turn on all the lights, remove extra pieces of furniture, and hide knick-knacks especially that bowling trophy from 1989. In the winter, fire up the fireplace. In summer, turn on the air conditioning or ceiling fans allowing a cooling breeze to waft through the rooms.

Shampoo the carpet, and if worn, cover with tasteful area rugs. Do the hardwood floors need buffing or the concrete floors need polishing? Remove pet odors, erase crayon marks from walls, and freshen the garbage disposal. Curious buyers will be opening closets and cabinets, so if necessary, remove excess clothing. Organize those pots, pans, linens, and medicine chest. Presenting a neat and tidy house conveys the message that your home has been well cared for after all these years.

Clean and mean
Hire a cleaning crew for a day so they can clean in those hard to reach places like behind the refrigerator and stove, on top of cabinets, shower door, clerestory windows, and baseboards. Clean the ceiling fans, screens, tile grouting, and wicker. Does the garage look like a gigantic storage bin? At least dust and remove the mildew or cobwebs. Fix the little things like leaky faucets, squeaky hinges, and replace light bulbs. Hire a company to remove oil stains from the garage and driveway. Polish knobs and furniture.

Pools should be properly maintained. The spa should be hot. Poolside furniture should be clean and in good condition. Choose poolside planters that enhance not detract from the focal point of the pool. You might place strings of lights in the trees or planters to give your pool area a festive flair.

Color my world
We Tucsonans have a love affair with residential color. Perhaps it’s because of the light show over the mountains or our proximity to Mexico, but everything here is not seen in black and white or shades of gray. Most homes embrace color but remember that not everyone, especially buyers from other parts of the country, will appreciate your home through rose-colored glasses. A coat of paint can wipe out a myriad of flaws but it also depends on the current wear and tear of your house. The family room may be painted in your favorite colors--turquoise and gold--but will it work for buyers who can’t visualize what their furniture will look like here? Don’t make it an impossible task. Consult an interior designer, colorist, or professional stager. Or paint rooms a more neutral hue and accentuate with colorful pots, fabrics, art, and accessories.

What’s mine is yours…in the world of Tucson real estate
When property is sold, anything that is attached to the property goes to the buyer.
Before showing your home, remove whatever you want to keep. Did you bond with your prize-winning rose bushes? Than replant them in colorful planters so they can be easily transported. Does grandma’s art deco wall sconces remind you of the past? Replace them and move them along into your future.

Common senses
Your culinary talents may be limited to Lean Cuisine® or scrambled eggs but remember smell is a powerful emotion and emotions sell products. Create an aromatic mirage by putting a few drops of vanilla extract on the oven base then turn on the oven for a few minutes before buyers arrive. Or brew apple cider with cinnamon sticks in a crock-pot. Buyers will be reminded of baking cookies or apple pie, evoking memories of good times and delicious comfort food.

Create a mood by displaying a native centerpiece, style-appropriate place settings, and candlesticks in your formal dining room. Martha Stewart would approve.

Incorporate all the senses into your home presentation:

· Seeing
Visually wow them with a sense of spaciousness, sparkle, and color. Our glorious mountain views are an added bonus.

· Smelling
Try the above olfactory trick plus place a vase of some freshly cut flowers in the foyer or master bedroom. Don’t use potpourri or scented candles because too much can cause sneezing or gagging.

· Hearing
You might consider a piano concerto on the CD but one person’s music is another’s noise. A serenade of wind chimes is nice on a breezy day or the simple sounds of silence often ring the loudest.

· Touching
Create some texture with throw pillows or rugs. Hang plush velour towels in the bathroom. Tumbled marble backsplashes and stone fireplaces also beg to be touched and treasured.

· Tasting
On the counter place ripe fruit from the yard or vegetables from the garden in a big glass bowl with a note, “Help yourself to our garden bounty”. And a pretty candy dish with chocolate truffles is forever tempting and hospitable.

A little effort goes a long way in the eyes of the buyer. Let’s talk about how I can assist you in maximizing your home’s marketability.

Bruce Hallowell specializes in selling adobe homes and land used for investments in Tucson and Marana. He represents Long Realty. This article may not be reprinted without permission. Please contact me for a free home marketing analysis.

How to Maximize Your Home for the Marketplace @ Bruce Hallowell 2004.