By _________________ Board President’s Name Here
President, ______________________ Board/Association of REALTORS

Curbside appeal is very often the determining factor that persuades potential buyers to venture into a home that is for sale. Once inside, the best way to help ensure these lookers stay is to offer an interior that is just as inviting as the outside, according to (full name of the state/local association of Realtors).

“Sprucing up your yard before you sell doesn’t necessarily have to be costly in terms of time or money,” according to (full name of state/local association president). ”As an example, sellers can help increase the curb appeal of their property by pruning the shrubs, especially those around the windows and doors to provide more light inside and safer accessibility through entrances,” (he/she) says.

“Other tricks that can help make a home more inviting to potential buyers include keeping your lawn watered in warmer months to maintain a healthy green color, planting flowers along a walkway or around a lamp or sign post, or placing attractive flowerpots on the porch, (last name of state/local association president) adds. Finally, items such as grills, children’s toys, bicycles, tools and machinery should be stored away neatly, as well, (he/she) notes.

Once the outside is spruced up, (last name of state/local association president) recommends sellers move inside to clean out closets and give their home a more spacious feel, by picking up the clutter and packing up the knickknacks.

“What most sellers don’t realize is that buyers are not interested in their personal items–especially items such as family photographs and various treasures a seller has collected over the years,” (last name of state/local association president) explains. “These items will only get in the way of a potential buyer’s ability to envision his or her own personal effects in your home.”

Another way sellers can help create a more spacious look to their home is by packing away items housed in such pieces of furniture as display hutches and cabinets and moving various pieces of furniture out of the house to help the potential buyer imagine their own furniture in place of yours, (last name of state/local association president) notes.

(Last name of state/local association president) also recommends sellers either sell off or give away unwanted items and home furnishings before potential buyers begin to come for a look.

“Sellers should think of themselves as living in a model home when they market their property,” (last name of state/local association president), says. “That means that in addition to making sure the home is constantly kept clean, they need to be willing to move their favorite chair, end table or couch out,” (he/she) adds. “It just makes it easier for a potential buyer to envision a home office in place of the cozy den a seller may have used a certain room for. Since buying a home is usually the biggest purchase of a consumer’s life, it gets frustrating for them if they cannot see past someone else’s clutter.”