Make sure your house is a perfect 10 before the 'For Sale' sign goes up. A little effort can help ensure the best price in the shortest amount of time.

If you're thinking about putting your home on the market, you need to do everything you can to make sure it's a perfect "10" before the "For Sale" sign goes up!

Today's homebuyers are busy people, who are rarely interested in spending the time or money to carry out major repairs or improvements when they move in. To help you get the best price and sell your home as fast as possible, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has a number of tips on how you can get your house ready to sell:

First, stop thinking of your house as the home you love, and start thinking about it as a product that's about to enter a highly competitive market. Prospective homebuyers aren't looking to buy your home; they're looking for a place they can call their own. So take a long, objective look at your home's strengths and flaws, and identify any areas where a little effort or elbow grease could make a big difference.

A good place to start is with your home's curb appeal. The curb is where buyers make their first impressions, so make sure the impression they get is a good one. Remove any clutter in your yard. Repair cracked or uneven driveways and walkways. Make sure your lawn and flowerbeds are well tended. And ensure your windows, walls and doors are clean and freshly painted.

Next, check the roof, chimney and exterior walls. If any repairs are required, carry them out yourself, or hire a qualified contractor to do the work for you.

Inside, make sure potential buyers are greeted with a clean, clutter-free and well-lit interior, preferably with a fresh coat of paint on the walls and trim. Eliminate any unpleasant odours, and make sure all the lights are turned on and that all doors and windows open and shut properly.

Thoroughly clean all appliances, sinks, tubs and toilets, and give all your fixtures a good shine. Repair any leaks or drips, and clean the cabinets, mirrors, switch plates and cupboard handles.

Keep furniture and family memorabilia to a minimum to help people imagine their own belongings in the space and ensure an easy flow of traffic .

Make sure your foundation and basement are structurally sound, and free of cracks or water seepage. If you use the basement as a catch-all for storage, try to clear it of as much clutter as possible, or at least organize your things as well as you can.

In the garage, carport or shed, get rid of any broken or useless items. If there are any oil stains on the floor, remove them with a strong cleaning solution.

Last but not least, if you have an agent, then the single best thing you can do to help make the sale is to leave when the home is being shown. This will help prospective buyers imagine the house as their new home - not yours!

Source Vancouver Sun