Disconnect your emotions. Buying real estate is often an emotional decision, but when selling real estate you need to remove emotion from the equation. You need to think of your home as a marketable commodity. Property. Real estate. Your goal is to get others to see it as their potential home, not yours. If you do not consciously make this decision, you can inadvertently create a situation where it takes longer to sell your property. The first step in getting your home ready to sell is to de-personalize it. When a potential home buyer sees your family photos hanging on the wall, it puts your own personality on the home and momentarily shatters their illusions about living in the house themselves. 

Price your home realistically from the start. The truth is that your house is worth what buyers are willing to pay. No more. Want to sit with a house that won’t move? Over-priced houses can take months or even years to sell. Plus, houses that take a long time to sell usually sell for less because buyers believe there must be something wrong with them. Beware the agent who promises big profits. That agent may just be after your business. Don’t go with anyone who doesn’t use comps and study sales prices, not asking prices, for real estate.

Put upgrade money only where it counts. If you’re looking to spend some money to make your house memorable, ask someone who knows what will improve the market value. The cheapest thing you can do for a house with the biggest bang for the buck is to paint and replace carpet.

Put upgrade money only where it counts. If you’re looking to spend some money to make your house memorable, ask someone who knows what will improve the market value. The cheapest thing you can do for a house with the biggest bang for the buck is to paint and replace carpet.

Promotion, promotion, promotion. Don’t neglect the modern version of curb appeal: using lots of photos on real estate listings’ websites. However you market your house, you need a good number of clear, well-lit, professional-quality pictures that show your house at its best.

Use a REALTOR® Thinking about selling your home by yourself? Before you start down this complicated path, here are some of many reasons why using a real estate professional is important: 1) You will be drastically limiting your exposure to potential buyers 2) Most buyers find negotiating with sellers extremely awkward, and therefore avoid FSBO situations. 3) Lack of negotiating experience can result in a lower selling price, or worse, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits. 4) You only pay a commission to your Realtor® if they successfully sell your home at a price you are happy with.

Keep in mind: you are not selling YOUR HOME, you are selling
A HOUSE to someone who wants to make it HIS HOME.