If you're a homeowner who has become frustrated because your home seems to have been sitting on the market too long, perhaps it simply isn't making a good first impression on potential buyers. If that's the case, don't despair. Even if your home has been on the market for some time, there are some simple things you can do to help your home make a better first impression, the second time around.

As the old saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and that's true both for real estate agents who may be touring your home during regular property tours or for buyers looking at homes in their price range and target neighborhood. But don't despair if your home has already been on the market for awhile. It's not too late to improve your chances of selling your home at a good price.

However, even if your home is currently on the market, you can still upgrade and improve your home to make it more attractive, and once you've done that, you can ask your agent to schedule your home for another agent property tour to show off the improvements. It's entirely possible that the upgrades will make your home just what someone has been looking for, even if it didn't impress them during the first viewing.

The first key to successful selling is to remember that even though it's been your home, once you decide to sell it, your house instantly becomes just another commodity being sold amid competition from all the other houses in your price range and area. Therefore, you must make your house stand out from the competition if you're going to sell quickly and for a higher price.

The second key is not to spend a huge amount of money on upgrades. You want to make a dramatic difference without affecting your bottom line too drastically. One of the most effective ways to do that is through the use of paint, both inside and out. It's by far the most cost effective way to dramatically improve the look of a home for the least amount of money. Using neutral colors will allow buyers to visualize their furnishing in various rooms without worrying about the time and expense they'd have to incur repainting walls.

However, there's another dramatic upgrade that's often overlooked, yet can be done for virtually NO cost. That's de-cluttering. You live in your home every day and get used to certain messes or smells that can make a huge difference in your home's buyer appeal and the types of offers you'll get. So walk through your home, or better yet, have someone else walk through with you and tell you what areas need cleaning, de-cluttering, or deodorizing. It can be an eye-opening situation, but it's critical that your home make a good first impression on potential buyers.

If your home hasn't sold, it's possible that you need to take charge of the situation and give it a second chance to make a good first impression!

Copyright 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher