If you’ve hired the right REALTOR®, someone who can give you a strong market analysis and help you determine a reasonable price for your home, then you can avoid overpricing your home. If you don’t listen to a REALTOR® and base your listing price on an inflated view of your home’s value, you’re likely to end up with the frustration of having your house sit on the market for month after month. In a strong market this sends a message to agents (and buyers) that something is wrong with your house, and offers (if any) are often lowered as a result.  It is not unusual to see overpriced homes go through multiple price drops, and ultimately sell for less than they would have if priced right the first time.

You may think that all you have to do is take one photo of the house, stick a “For Sale” sign in your yard and buyers will come pouring in the door. Au contraire.The only way to guarantee that you’re going to get the highest price for the house is to use all of the marketing options available to you. This means Internet advertising, 30 pictures of your house, public open houses and even postcards. The more people who see your house, the better your chances are of selling it. In an age when buyers start their searches online, counting on drive-bys and word of mouth isn’t enough anymore.

3. Don’t … go it alone, unless you know what you’re doing.

If you’ve bought and sold half a dozen homes of your own or you live in a sought-after neighborhood where they sell in two days, you might be able to pull off a For Sale By Owner. If you aren’t a seasoned pro, however, let a professional take the reins. Some people don’t buy and sell houses more than once or twice in a lifetime, and there’s a lot of money at stake. There are also so many disclosure laws now. You’re really accepting some liability by trying to sell it yourself, unless you have a friend or an attorney who can guide you through the process.  An experienced realtor also knows what’s selling around you, and for what price. They can tell you whether an offer is reasonable, and help you negotiate smartly. Plus, if you go it alone, even after the headache of doing all of the work yourself, you may end up selling for less in the end. People who buy For Sale By Owner houses automatically discount the price they’re willing to offer because there is no realtor involved.

If buyers walk through your house and spot a handful of items that need immediate repair, they’re going to wonder how well you’ve maintained the things they can’t see. The entry way is a big tip-off. Got a loose hand rail on the steps, sagging screen door or jiggly door knob? Fix them. Clear your gutters, patch holes in your walls and address dripping faucets. 

Yes, it’s your house. Yes, you sweated blood and tears to get it just the way you wanted it. But, no, that does not make it someone else’s “perfect,” particularly when you’ve made some unique decorating decisions. You want the space to look as neutral as possible, so buyers can envision themselves in the space. So even if those teal walls in the bedroom look knock-out great with your duvet, they probably won’t match anyone else’s things. Let go of the features you love, and make it a house most people could love—and that might mean painting all of the walls a soft, neutral color.