Getting the house ready for sale....

[Jamisjockey]

....I'd like to hear what others suggest for getting my house ready to go.
Carpets are in great shape, and the entrance was just steamcleaned last night
I plan to paint our hallway, it's in rough shape.
Some drywall damage downstairs, that will be repaired and painted next week.
Hauling all junk (I've got quite the scrap pile next to the house) to the dump today
Planning on decluttering a bit.  Living in a house for sale is a bit hard to do, though...
We have a 4x5 "flower bed" that I need to dig out and rebed, its full of weeds.
And I'll be power washing the house.

[Declaration Day]

Curb appeal, curb appeal, curb appeal.

Get those flowerbeds in nice shape, maybe put some new edging or a gardenwall around them, then finish it off with a fresh layer of mulch.

[K Frame]

Curb appeal outside, neutral paint colors inside, and an apple pie or loaf of bread in the oven.

[Brad Johnson]

Like everyone else said - clean and neat, uncluttered, and curb appeal.

I've seen many a generic house sell based solely on the impression the buyers got when we pulled into the drive. I've also seen many a great house passed over because they looked shabby/nasty/bad from the street.

Sounds like what you've done inside is the right things. Neutralized, de-clutter, paint (with good paint, properly taped and cleanly cut in), and a general de-fuzzing of all the rough edges.

Put on your "new person in the house" glasses and walk around. Any littley piddly problems you see will be seen as big honkin' problems by potential buyers. Pulled tape joints, corroded faucets, etc. You might spend a few hundred bucks on all new faucets and some toilet rebuild kits (flapper valve, float, handle, and tank seals and bolts). New faucets will get noticed, even though they sound like a trivial item. If you have a mechanical closet where the water heater and HVAC reside, grab your shop vac and a dust rag and have at it. Guys invariably look there, and it makes a profoundly positive impression if your HVAC clost is clean.

Replace all the air filters, too. Especially if you have filters in the returns. Nothing makes people turn up their nose like a fuzzy air filter. Makes them wonder what else hasn't been done.

Wipe down the cabinets inside/under all the sinks. Repaint under them if needed.

If you have exposed wood grab some lemon oil and do a general wipedown.

Clean all the windows. Then clean them again.

Replace or repair any missing/damaged window screens.

Wipe down, dust, wash, and otherwise clean all light fixtures. If you have any that are noticeably dated, run down to the local hardware store and get some inexpensive replacements.

Same for doorknobs and cabinet pulls.

If you have any cabinets that have been repainted and the hinges were painted over, get new ones to match the pulls. Painted hinges just look crappy. Unless you have desinger hinges in special sizes, you should be able to get generic hinges at the hardware store for under $2 each.

Brad

[Art Eatman]

Even while living there, take out some of the furniture.  It makes the house look more spacious inside.  "De-clutter".

If anybody wants a 3/1 in Alpine, Texas, I'm asking $129,500.

Art

[Brad Johnson]

I'll give you fifty buck. Cash. But you have to leave the dumb truck and backhoe.



Brad

[Jamisjockey]

Even while living there, take out some of the furniture.  It makes the house look more spacious inside.  "De-clutter".

If anybody wants a 3/1 in Alpine, Texas, I'm asking $129,500.

Art

We paid $160 for our pad, with the finished basement its a 5/3/2.  We're putting it up for $250 and expect it to sell quickly the way the Utah market is right now.  The only houses that don't sell quickly are FSBO's.

[BozemanMT]

People have no vision.  none
they cannot see what improvements they could make.

If anything is marginal (carpet, paint, countertops) replace it.

It always strikes me as stupid (well, if I paint it white and you don't like white, why not just offer $500 less) but they never do.
Keep the yard in nice shape, paint the outside (at least the front).  if anything seems marginal, fix it.
Also, bring over a friend and ask them to be honest.  You have lived there forever, it all seems normal to you, what pops out to them.

[Jamisjockey]

Bozeman:
I agree with that to an extent.  Whats funny is that in markets like Kalifornistan people have been forced to accept shitboxes and improve or remodel them.  
Here in Utah the only thing that usually takes some thinking is the basement.

[BozemanMT]

I dunno, had a friend have his house sit on the market forever and he couldn't figure out why.  I finally drove down, went into his house and instantly figured out why.  he couldn't see it, they had always lived with it, but there was 2 bath's, but none on the main floor.
stupid design, unfixable and he ended up giving up money to deal with it.
I get Utah and finished basements, but, normally fiinished basements mean boo.  (nothing)
paint the inside (cheap spray job), make the door handles and knob pulls shine (free, just work) and clean everything, even hire if you have to.