When you get ready to sell your home, it's important to make it sparkle, especially when compared to your neighbors' houses. Every real estate agent knows that well-polished houses not only sell faster, but they also sell for higher prices.

When planning the "spruce up" strategy for your home, you'll first want to consider how much you want to spend, and then how much of that money to allocate to the outside and the inside in order to help sell your home the most quickly and for the best price.

How much should you spend? The answer is simple: as little as possible. The idea is to make your home shine by addressing areas that will make a good impression on buyers, without spending money you won't be able to recoup at sale time. Generally, that means a serious clean-up, inside and out. Then, depending upon your budget, you can make relatively inexpensive (but often dramatic) upgrades, such as paint, new knobs for kitchen cabinets, or new towel racks in the bathroom.

On the outside, make sure your home looks nice from the street, since that's the first impression every buyer will have. Keep the lawn mowed and the sidewalks edged. That's important, and doesn't cost anything extra, since you'd be doing that whether your home was for sale or not. Plant a few annual flowers along the walkway and around the house. They'll add a touch of hominess and color, and make a good impression on buyers.

Keep flower gardens and shrubbery well-maintained, and make sure the front door is nicely painted and opens easily without creaking. If the paint is peeling on the outside of your home, especially the windows and doors, it's time to repaint with a color that attracts your buyer's profile.

If there are shingles missing, they should be replaced, but don't put on a new roof unless it's absolutely necessary; you'll rarely recoup such a major expense. If the driveway is covered with oil stains, there are some good products that can remove them without a great deal of cost.

Inside, go through each room, doing a thorough cleaning and removing clutter. Have a friend walk through with you, telling you what catches their eye, because you may have grown accustomed to things that will create a negative impression in the minds of prospective buyers. If rooms need paint, repaint them, using colors that you know your buyers will love.

Pay special attention to bathrooms and the kitchen. If the floor looks old and worn in the kitchen, new linoleum tiles are easy to install and can instantly give old kitchens new sparkle. Repair or replace any dripping faucets--another relatively inexpensive repair that can pay big dividends.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get your home ready to sell, but you do want to make it as attractive as you can (without spending a lot) if you want to sell it quickly--and at the highest possible price.

Copyright 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher