First impressions are everything. Most decisions of whether to buy are actually made in the first few minutes of viewing a property. That's why it's not only important keep your front door area clean, your yard trimmed and edged and free of debris, but to even keep your car washed and polished if parked in front of your house.

Decorate for a quick sale. Faded walls and worn woodwork reduce appeal. Why try to tell the prospect how your home could look, when you can show them with a little redecorating? A quicker sale at a higher price will result. For example an investment in new kitchen wallpaper will pay dividends.

Stow personal items. A few nicely placed family photos can make a house look homey, but you'll want to store most of your personal photos, refrigerator magnets and kids' drawings to open the way for the prospective buyer to imagine themselves living in your house.

Religion is personal. It's a good idea to store religous books and icons as you really want to present a generic "display home" that any potential can picture as their own.

Rent Storage Space. If you're using the garage, attic or basement for storage place, now would be a good time to move most of that stuff to storage, to display the full value of the utility space.

Let the sun shine in. Open curtains to let the prospect see how cheerful your home can be.

Fix that faucet. Dripping water suggests faulty plumbing.

Repairs can make a big difference. Loose knobs, sticking doors and windows, warped cabinet drawers and other minor flaws detract from the home value. Have them fixed.

Show off closet space. Neat, well-ordered closets show that space is ample.

Bathrooms help sell homes. Check and repair caulking in bathtubs and showers. Replace older shower curtains. Make this room sparkle.

Arrange bedrooms neatly. Remove excess furniture. Use attractive bedspreads and freshly laundered curtains.

Welcome with illumination. The potential buyer will feel a glowing warmth when you turn on all your lights for evening inspections.