When you ready to move and looking to sell your home quicker and for more money, there certain things you need to do before putting your home on the market.

Start your house makeover on the outside. You will be more successful at getting potential buyers to come inside and look at your house if your house has curb appeal. To create a well-maintained exterior that shows pride of ownership, follow these simple guidelines:

- Keep lawns and hedges neatly trimmed.

- Pull weeds and plant flowers in the garden or in pots.

- Wash the windows.

- Sweep or hose down the walkways and driveway.

- Oil squeaky gate hinges and latches.

- Repair broken fences or crumbling walls.

- Remove dead branches from trees and prune if necessary.

- Touch up exterior trim around windows and doors.

Replace burnt-out light bulbs and clean light fixtures.

Keep the garage door shut. (This creates a better appearance and deters theft.)

Rake leaves in the fall and clear the walkways.

Remove construction debris from your yard, (if you live in a neighborhood that is under construction, trash and debris may blow into your yard on windy days.)

Remove snow and ice from walkways, driveways, and steps in winter.

Place the For Sale sign in full view of the street and place sales brochures in the box. (Fill up the brochure box when it is empty).

Once you get a potential buyer through the front door, you only have ten seconds to make a lasting impression. The front entrance to your home sets the stage your home. Try t
o create a sense of awe that draws a person into your home. Welcome people with a fresh, clean, uncluttered look. Add a decorative rug, stunning piece of artwork, or plant at the entrance to add color and excitement to the area. Place a vase of fresh flowers or an artificial flower arrangement in the living room or on the kitchen island.

Try incorporating the following seven decorating basics into your home to create excitement and add something interesting to an ordinary floor plan, if this job seems too overwhelming, contact a design professional. Also, browse through new magazines and books on interior decorating to get a few up-to-date ideas.

1. Color. This is the easiest and least expensive way to add vibrancy to a dull room. Apply a contrasting color to accent an area (known as a color block); hang attractive wallpaper; add interesting paint finishes such as rage or sponge paint; or paint a border or a mural on the wall.

2. Focal point. Every room needs a focal point. An architectural feature, a piece of furniture, or a piece of artwork can create a resting spot for the eye.

3. Furniture arrangement. Group furniture into a functional arrangement to make rooms appear larger.

4. Lighting. Use natural sunlight, lamps, spotlights, and overhead lighting to accent a room. Turn on all lights during a house showing.

5. Pattern. Tastefully coordinate different patterns to create intrigue.

6. Scale. The trick is to make a room appear larger by adding larger pieces of furniture and accessories, especially in rooms with small spaces.

7. Texture. Make a room appear more interesting by complementing smooth textures with rough textures through the use of different fabrics, furniture styles, accessories, floor coverings, paint, and wallpaper.