Painting, decorating and other ways to make sure your house is in a good condition to sell.

House selling has become a very competitive market, and though people are desperate in some areas to buy a house, its important you take care to ensure that the you've done all you can to make your house as attractive, safe and saleable as possible.

It is said that the average house buyer has no vision – which means you need to make their 'envisioning' themselves within the house as easy as possible. Dark paintwork is a definite turn off – as are stained, worn or smelly carpets – both of which need to be taken care of.

On the latter, you could offer an 'allowance' or remove a fraction of the house costs for carpets – or, if you can, invest yourself and replace them, to allow a possibly higher sale price. Walls should be painted off white or antique white – or possibly very pale and pastel shades if you're planning on redecorating – you may have no option if your walls are stained, marked or damaged.

Its also a good time to ensure that everything that you've been meaning to repair is taken care of is actually done – a faulty stair tread, banister or fence in the garden may only be a minor annoyance to you, but can be a danger to anyone looking at the house..

Here are some really helpful things to remember.

Play your part when it's time to sell. A few simple techniques can help your home show better and sell faster.

1):  Make it shine: Use orange oil on dried out wood cabinets to restore luster and shine.
2):  Accessorize: Add a bowl of polished apples, oranges or grapes to the kitchen counter or dinning room table.
3):  Smell sells: Woo prospective buyers with the irresistible scent of fresh baked apple pie or cookies.
4):  Let there be light: Natural light can enhance the look of any room. Make sure your windows and window treatments are sparkling clean and wide open when potential buyers arrive.
5):  Pictures of you: Place photos of you and your family enjoying the home in at least three areas of the home to show your family made this house a home.