To do it right, home-owners can utilize the quiet mid-winter months to do their decorating and marketing homework for today’s home buyers. The dated wallpaper and faded parquet floors say more about the way you’ve kept house and possibly the way you have maintained your home to prospective buyers than you realize. It might also lower the bottom line on the sale of your home. The best way to shorten the time your home is on market and possibly bring the highest price is take the time during the winter months to make a plan of action and put it into motion, so when the robins sing you can place a “sold” sign in your yard.

-Host a pre-market open house. Invite friends, family and three full time real estate agents to an early Sunday afternoon “get to know” your home open house. Prepare some hot chocolate, coffee and homemade sweets to serve your invitation-only guests. People love a sneak preview and it will help get the word out that you’ll be selling your home in spring market. Ask for feedback from all guests and be ready for what you’ll hear, the good and the bad.

-Start a file on the sale of your home. Have a to-do list of repairs, updates and streamlining with a timeline to complete before your home goes on market. Gather references for contractors if you need to hire work done. Mid-winter months are typically slow for the building trades and a good time to schedule repairs.

-Establish a must-do list of items that have to be completed before you go on market. These can include cleaning or installing new carpeting, refinishing hardwood floors or eliminating dated and worn wallpaper. New kitchen appliances can do wonders for otherwise tired kitchens, and buyers love new stainless steel look.

-Don’t forget to have all the inside and outside surfaces of your windows cleaned. This often over-looked and laborious job can be hired-out and should be done within a week of placing your home on market.

-Take all left-over holiday decorations down, organize and donate any you haven’t used in years.

-If a room requires a freshing-up with new paint, trend colors might be right for you, but neutral warm colors are favored by the majority of homebuyers.