1. Price it right!  Do not low ball yourself, but don’t overprice your home either.  If you can justify your listing price to a buyer, you likely will not need to reduce your asking price, nor will you need to negotiate much.  Maintain your position of strength, and you may get multiple offers, potentially leading to a bidding war.  Remember, overpriced homes scare away potential buyers and other agents.

2. Be strategic with your timing.  The best buying seasons are spring, summer and early fall.  Be conscious of putting your home on the market when interest rates are attractive and the economic outlook appears bright and optimistic. Consider the supply-and-demand theory, and remember that the best time to sell is when there are few homes on the market and plenty of buyers looking in your area.

3. Put your home in tip-top condition.  Remember, first impressions are important.  Landscaping and a coat of fresh paint (in neutral colors) will go a long way.

4. Remove all clutter.  Think about the way a builder sets up a model home to appear bright and spacious.  Include just enough furnishings to create an inviting atmosphere without overwhelming the space.  Rooms look much bigger without too much furniture in them.

5. Depersonalize your home.  Remember, you want a buyer to visualize your home as their own.  Remove family photos, mementos and anything else that might make this challenging for prospective buyers.  Keep in mind the old axiom, “Less is more.”

6. Be sure your home gets proper exposure.  List your home with a real estate professional who can provide you with a good marketing strategy, advertising campaign and plan of action for contacting other agents, using various multimedia methods.

7. Be sure your home does not stay on the market too long.  If your home has not sold within a reasonable time frame, it may make sense to take if off the market and try again some other time.  Having the pricing wrong or making the house difficult to show will lead to issues in this area.  A house that stays on the market too long will go stale in the eyes of buyers, generally leading it to sell for a lower price, if at all.

8. Hire a strong negotiator.  There are lots of good real estate agents out there, but some are stronger negotiators than others.  Be sure your agent has the ability to logically and intelligently close the transaction without compromising your position as the seller.

9. Be your agent’s cheerleader.  Listen to your agent’s advice, and support your agent by letting them know that you appreciate their hard work.  Stay out of their way when they are showing your house, and hold back comments until after the showing.  Communicate with your agent regularly, as the more information you provide, the better job your agent can do for you.

10. Make the home available to show.  Not having the home available to show will make it difficult for potential buyers to see it.  Remember this is a big purchase and you most likely did not purchase the home without viewing it even once. If you have concerns, please address them with your Realtor®, together I am sure you will come to some type of balanced solution.