If you have decided to sell your home, the last thing you want is for it to sit on the market for a long time. Taking some home improvement steps before listing can make your house more attractive to potential buyers and put you in a better position to sell quickly.

So what do you need to do to ensure that listing your house floods your real estate agent’s office with showing requests?

1. Spiff up the entranceway 
Every interested buyer will enter through your front door. Have you looked at your entranceway with a critical eye lately? Consider replacing old or sagging screens. If your front door is dirty or scratched, clean it up or add a fresh coat of paint. Sweep away dirt and grime and set out a new entrance mat. Oil any squeaky hinges. If you have plants or shrubbery leading up to your home, make sure that they are trimmed appropriately. A manicured landscape leading up to a welcoming front door will portray the positive experience of living there. An ugly or dirty entranceway can turn away buyers before they enter your house, meaning even if your home has the most amazing interiors, their minds may already be made up.

2. Create an outdoor oasis by detailing your deck 
Today’s buyer isn’t just interested in the inside of a home, but the outdoor space as well. Taking your deck or patio from drab to fab may only require adding a couple of stylistic extras. Start by adding beautiful deck and fence post caps like Deckorators VersaCaps to create a polished, upscale look for your outdoor space. These one-size-fits-all caps have nested inserts that are compatible with wood, composite and vinyl posts, and come in a variety of colors. Next, add unique decorative fascia corners that stylishly adorn deck skirting and cover unsightly corner joints. These new decorative fascia corners come in two designs and install quickly with screws.

3. Add outdoor extras for safety and style 
Additions that are both beautiful and useful get noticed by potential buyers. Railings can add style to your deck, porch, patio or stairs, plus they add a safety element to your home. Deckorators CXT Railing is the perfect choice because you get to choose from a variety of rail and baluster combos that emulate the look of real painted wood and are ultra low-maintenance for long-term durability and strength. Another addition to consider is LED lighting that makes a home stand out at dusk and provides just the right amount of light so outdoor space can safely be enjoyed any time of day.

4. Add modern colors to interior walls 
Cracked paint or dated wall colors are sure to turn off buyers. For a small price, you can purchase plaster and several cans of paint to refresh dated looking rooms for a clean, modern feel. Not sure what paint colors are on-trend? Visit your local paint or hardware store for insight. Remember, it’s best to avoid anything too bold, so even if you love fire truck red, pick a shade a little more demure so you attract the most potential buyers.

5. Reduce clutter for clean, minimalist rooms
If you’ve ever visited a house that’s been staged, you know that it helps buyers envision what they might do with the room. To follow this example, you’ll want to make sure that you eliminate all clutter, clean up drawers and closets, stow away extra items like pillows and blankets, and reduce the amount of personal photography you display. Remember, you want buyers to visualize themselves in your home, not see your last family portrait and feel out of place.

Always keep in mind that you want to paint a picture for buyers of the wonderful life they can have if they purchase your home. If they have a good first impression and can envision their family enjoying each room in the house, they are going to want to submit a bid fast.