Selling Your Home in a Changing Market

Many of Kitsap County's real estate markets have been undergoing a correction since early 2006. Here are five improvements you can easily make that may help you sell your home in this challenging environment.

• Create a welcoming entrance. Make certain the front door is clean, polish the hardware (or replace if necessary) and repaint the door if it is in poor condition. Finally, add a new doormat, update your mailbox and place attractive greenery or flowers on either side of the door.
• Remove clutter and put it in storage (not in the spare bedroom or garage). Box anything you won't use in the next few months (including holiday decorations, seasonal clothing or sports equipment, old toys, etc.) and move these items to the storage facility.
• Replace outdated window treatments with simple white miniblinds or wood blinds cut-to-measure at a home center. This is a fairly simple fix that can refresh your rooms in just one weekend.
• Update your storage space with closet systems so the closet looks organized, not cluttered.
• Finally, have wood floors professionally cleaned and polished. If you have worn, dirty or badly colored carpeting with wood underneath, remove the carpeting and expose the wood.