Unless your house is nearly new, chances are you’ll want to do some work to get it ready to market. The type and amount of work depends largely on you’re asking price, the time you have to sell, and the present condition of the house. If you’re in a hurry to sell, do the "little things" that make your house look better from the outside and show better inside.

"Curb appeal" is the common real estate term for everything prospective buyers can see from the street that might make them want to turn in and take a look. Improving curb appeal is critical to generating traffic. While it does take time, it needn’t be difficult or expensive, provided you keep two key words in mind: neat and neutral. Neatness sells. New paint, an immaculate lawn, picture-perfect shrubbery, a newly sealed driveway, potted plants at the front door -- put them all together, and drive-by shoppers will probably want to see the rest of the house. Hand-in-hand with neatness is neutrality. If you’re going to repaint, stick to light, neutral colors. Keep the yard free of gardening tools and the kids’ toys. Remember, when a family looks at a house, they’re trying to paint a picture of what it would be like as their home.

You need to be ready to show your home at any time throughout the day, which means keeping it presentable at all times. First, make your house look as clean and spacious as possible. Remember, people may look behind your doors -- closet and crawl space doors as well as those to the bedrooms and bathrooms. So get rid of all the clutter; have that garage sale and haul away the leftovers. Is there a place to park? If not, move some vehicles around. Finally, AROMA THERAPY. No, we aren’t suggesting you break out the herbs and incense. Try this: walk outside, take a few deep breaths, observe what you smell, hopefully flowers and fresh cut grass. Whatever the smell, stay there for a minute or two to cleanse your smelling senses. Now return to the inside of your house and take a deep breath with your mouth closed. What do you smell? If it isn’t fresh, do something. There are countless products on the market today to keep your home smelling good, go get some. While it is a subtle observance, it will make a big difference.