As a homeowner, it’s difficult to put yourself in buyer’s shoes and prep your home through someone else’s eyes. I’m sharing my secrets from inside the showing walls - a behind the scenes list of buyer comments that I hear when no one else is around. Here’s what they focus on while I’m showing them your home.

• Light: The brighter the better. We all love natural light and it’s something that is mentioned every time we walk into a showing. Buyers are really turned off by a dark feel. My advice is to open the blinds, pull back those dark curtains, and turn on the brightest lights you have. Invest in those bulbs you’ve been meaning to replace. I promise you it’ll make a huge difference to someone looking for their happy, sunny home.

• Smells: I can’t tell you how many times a buyer walks into a home, stands right in the doorway, and says “It smells musty in here, I don’t think it’s for us”. You can add the words ‘smoky’, ‘moldy’, and ‘pets’ to the mix. You may be totally used to your home, but no one appreciates a funky smell. You need to appeal to the masses when it comes to odors. Hire a professional cleaner, disinfect, and open up the windows for a while before letting buyers in. If you have to paint the walls and the carpets, do it. It’ll be well worth the hard work.

• Space: I’ve said this to every seller I work with. Clean your home as of you were moving, because... well, you are. Get rid of the junk and the old baby furniture. Pull everything out of closets and purge before you send buyers in to open them up. Take the cereal boxes off your counters and store away the air fryer for a couple weeks. Think counter space, more storage, basic and clean. Buyers want to picture their furniture in your home. Make this possible for them.

• Personal items: This is a biggie. I love your different views, your religious affiliations, and your Star Trek figurine collection, but potential buyers may not. It’s best to present yourself as neutral as possible when selling such a large asset, because you’re trying to appeal to anyone interested in buying, not solely someone who loves you for you.

• Yard: First impressions are everything. Adding a potted plant on the front porch or a few simple flower arrangements at the entryway is a classy touch. Fix the doorbell, paint the house number so it stands out, and my favorite ingredient- new mulch. You’d be surprised what a difference it makes to your yard.

These little adjustments will help maximize your home’s appeal and allows buyers to focus on your home’s positives versus any potential negatives.