Is your house ready to sell? Guest blogger Zac Melton offers a few tips for making your house look showroom new.

 The way the current market stands, it can get pretty tough to sell a house.  There are currently over 1.5 million homes in foreclosure, and that does not include the houses that are for sale in good standing.  But after doing some research, there are a few improvements you can make to your home to gain a considerable advantage over most others on the market.

10 things you should do to get your house ready to sell:

Curb appeal: This is one of the most important updates you can make!  Touch up the exterior paint, make your yard look immaculate, plant flowers— you name it!  The more inviting, the better offers you'll get. Remember--this is the buyers' first impression of your property.

Staging is everything:  Clean up and remove all clutter.  Less is more, and you want the buyers to be able to envision your home as their own.

Attention to detail:  Polish and clean all hardware, door knobs, and closets.

No visible damage:  Patch sheet rock, replace broken electrical outlets or cracked windows. Even if it's minor, a potential buyer will still take note.

Paint:  It's best if the walls are a neutral color so buyers can envision their own belongings in your living space.  Lime green might be fun, but when it comes to selling, it can do more harm than good.

Information:  Provide potential buyers with all the information they want upon request.  Most common questions are:  When were the heating and air systems updated?   Has roof damage occurred or been replaced? Are there any new additions to the house?

Power Wash:  Two details that are often overlooked are the driveway and fence. A simple power wash can restore their looks and their value.

Floors and Walls:  If the carpet has seen better days, replacement would be ideal— although renting a carpet cleaner could be more cost effective.  The same applies to wallpaper: lots of patterns can be a turn-off to potential buyers, and at the very least keep it clean and remove it if there's excess peeling.

Aroma:  Lastly, have your house smelling great!  Some options are baking cookies, putting out fresh flowers, or burning candles. All of these items can make the house more inviting.

Most of these suggestions are quick fixes that can really make your house more appealing to potential buyers. Keep your home simple and fresh, and your house will be ready to sell in no time!