You are all set to sell your client’s home, but a “quick sale” doesn’t seem possible in this market. However, you may be surprised to find that things are looking up. With the National Association of Realtors reporting in early February that sales of existing homes rose 13.9% in the fourth quarter of 2009, you may be able to sell a home faster than you thought six months ago.

Also, with the first time home buyer tax credit of $8,000 extended through April 2010 and broadened to offer $6,500 to repeat homebuyers, you may find more viewings of homes for sale on the horizon.

So why not do everything you can to move the home sale along faster? Your client may not have the funds to make major repairs or remodel, but with a little time and elbow grease, you may be able to push the home into the must-have category in the eyes of potential buyers.

Start with these 5 simple steps to help move a home from “For Sale” to “Sold”:

1. Clean the windows. People are attracted to spaces that are open, airy and bright. Cleaning the windows inside and out and removing screens will help open up any space. Also, be sure blinds and curtains are open for every showing, allowing the most light into the room.

2. Remove all family photos. When potential buyers walk through your home, they want to envision their own families in the space. Other family photos will distract from their vision. Help make the home a blank canvas for home shoppers.

3. Mask any odors. Walking through a home is a 5 sense experience, so the smell of a home also will leave an impression on buyers. Create pleasant scents for shoppers by using Febreze, room plug-in fresheners, or reed diffusers. (Be sure any deodorizers are mild, though, as shoppers will believe you’re covering strong odors if the smell is too powerful.

4. Organize closets. Potential buyers will open all closets to see what kind of storage is available. A cluttered, messy closet not only creates a sense of less space, but makes shoppers believe that the home may be neglected in other, potentially more expensive areas. Remove as much as possible and stack and organize like items. A few simple tupperware containers and shelves can make a huge difference.

5. Clear kitchen counters. It’s tempting to leave everyday appliances out on the countertops, but between the coffee maker, grinder, toaster, electric can opener, towel and napkin dispensers, baking canisters, and any knick knacks, you may be minimizing one of the kitchen’s most important assets: counter space. Allow shoppers to visualize spreading out on the expansive, clean counters with their own cooking and baking projects.

What simple staging projects have you found useful?

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