Preparing your home for sale is a bit like getting ready for an important job interview -- First impressions count, and you want to make the best impression! Taking out a second mortgage to prep your home for showing certainly isn't necessary, but applying a few cosmetics and good grace will do a world of good.

First, people are uncomfortable looking at your home when you are there. They feel like they are intruding on you and need to make small talk to be polite. They will also be less than candid with questions. A professional Realtor® is the best person to show the home -- preferably by appointment and when everyone is out for the day.

When looking at your property, your potential buyers are visualizing how they will make the house their home; how they will decorate, where they will store things. To encourage folks to think of the house as theirs, instead of yours, one of the most important things you can do is to remove your personal photos, knick-knacks and the like so that your visitors can view the house from their point of view and taste. What appeals to you may be offensive to others, so you might want to box up your Rush Limbaugh book collection or hunting trophies.

If it's embarrassing to you -- like that office desk that seems to serve as a magnet for every loose piece of paper in the neighborhood -- pack it up and get it out of sight. Since you'll be moving out anyway, you might as well start right away with organizing, tossing or selling the clutter and what you don't need.

A big thing is the state of your bathrooms. Make sure the tiles are clean, the floors are clean and the faucets are squeaky clean and not dripping. Simple daily maintenance will make a big difference in whether your home with sell.

A sense of space will also appeal to your potential buyers. If you have clunky furniture -- or just a lot of it -- move as much out as you can and keep things to a bare minimum. Straighten out the garage and remove as much from your closets as possible so that it looks like your property offers a great deal of storage space. Get rid of all those blue Wal Mart bags from under the kitchen sink -- use 'em to pack up the small stiff that's sitting around.

The rule of thumb is to make your home appear to be "ready to move into." Your buyer is more interested in moving into the home, not repainting it or shampooing the carpet. A fresh coat of paint, clean windows (without cracks), faucets that do not drip and other such repairs and maintenance are well worth the expense...and they won't break you financially. If you have 1970s style wallpaper, replace it. Run the vacuum, dust out those spider webs and dust, and make sure there are no toys or other things lying around that could trip someone.

Bad smells and odors leave a lasting impression. Put the cat and its litter box outside. Take out the household garbage. Let the dog out ... and don't let it bite or snarl at people! If you smoke, smoke outside and immediately dispose of the buttes. Repainting and carpet cleaning will go a long way in removing odors that you may not even notice anymore.

Finally, now that you have your home clean and ready to show off, let in the light! Open the drapes; turn on lamps in dark areas. If God's first words were "Let there be Light!," there's probably something to this.