The way your house looks and mechanically functions will affect your bargaining power as a seller.  Nothing can help a sale more than a clean “spit-and-polish” home.  This applies to the exterior as well as the interior of a home.  Consider the following ideas for faster ways to sell your home. 

Start the clean-up process with curb-to-door cleaning.  Prune shrubs and the branches of trees that are unsafe or reduce view of house.  Edge the lawn and keep it mowed.  Paint the front door if necessary and put out a new welcome mat.  Sweep and clean up the porch.  Remove cobwebs and old furniture, boxes and trash.  Re-nail loose siding and check for warping or decay.  Paint siding if necessary.      

Inside, make your home look as spacious as possible.  Inventory what your want to sell, give away or throw away when you move.  Then do so before you begin showing your home.

The next step is to get the place in shape.  Walk trough every room of your home and make a list of everything that needs to be done. 

Clean up the wall around witches and remove child hand prints with soap and water.  Paint those walls that really need it because paint in un-cleanable or pealing.  Repaint any rooms in the house painted in dark colors such as navy blue, black, brown, forest green, dark gray, or purple.  A good neutral color is beige.  Repair cracks, holes or damages to plaster or wall boards.  Dust, vacuum, polish floors and remove cob-webs from every room. 

Take down dark colored curtains and open rooms to sunlight.  This usually changes the character of a room completely.  Now look at your windows.  Clean and wash windows.  Also, check for broken or cracked window panes and replace any found.

In restrooms test operation of toilet and check for a cracked toilet-tank top, cracked sinks, and broken fans.  Repair or replace if needed.  Cleaning the restrooms is a must.  Shower mildew must go!  Repair faucets and shower heads that are dripping.

In the kitchen wash all appliances and remove accumulation of grease or dust from tiles, walls, cabinets and floors.  Test all appliances that will go with the sale for proper function.  Fix or replace any appliances if needed or required.    

Clean any chimneys that have been used.  Inspect chimney for any loose or missing mortar.  Test door bells or chimes and burglar alarms.  Fix or replace if these items are found broken.

Do not forget the garage and storage shed.  Sweep and remove clutter, stored junk and trash from these areas.  Lubricate hinges and other hardware on your garage door.  Check yard faucets for leaks and fix or replace if necessary.  Clean gutters and downspout strainers around garage and home.     

This is a basic guide to cleaning and presenting your home.  You will still need to fix or disclose any broken systems such as the plumbing, electrical, and/or heating and cooling systems.