When choosing an agent, make sure to check their references, background, and experience. Ask if a walk through is part of the package; a walk through will point out sales points that you can work on to improve the possibility of a sale. Remember that a good agent should know your neigborhood and its recent home market history. As truthfully as possible, answer any questions the agent has for you. Little lies can come back to bite you years later.

• Step up the landscaping

Prune your trees, line the drive, touch up the paint, replace the screens, fix the doorbell, clean up the garage, reorganize the toolshed.

• Name a good price.

Price is always important, it could either make or break the sale of your home. Your real estate agent should have an idea on what would be the appropriate price for your house and the price range in the location. A house which is too expensive may push away prospective clients while a very low price may raise some questions on the credibility of the property. You could ask your agent to do a comparable market analyses (CMA) to get an idea on how much the houses in your area were sold for.

• De-clutter

Remove clutter and tidy up. Put away things that are not frequently used. If potential buyers are coming over to check the house, it is to put away photos from walls and shelves. Potential buyers are not interested in looking at your holiday pictures, they are more interested in picturing themselves in your lovely home.People would want to visit and live in a nice home, not a messy one. Make your house look more spacious by getting rid of unnecessary furniture, clearing out cabinets, and removing items on top of tables and shelves.

• Fix things

You could fix minor problems in the house like broken faucets or window treatments. Take note of these problems when you check your house. It would indeed take time and effort, but would be worth it. Simple home improvement repairs could just be small things but buyers would be able to notice them.

• Leave the house

When prospective clients will visit your house, it is better not to be there. Of course, you would like to make people see how great the house is, but it would be uncomfortable for both buyer and seller. Buyers would not be able to talk to the agents about their real opinion of the real estate and property. Aside from that, buyers would be able to ask questions freely, if the owner is not present.