Preparing To Sell Your House Quickly

What makes one house go on the market, have a number of showings in the first week and have a contract in place shortly thereafter, while an apparently similar house sits on the market for months? Of course, luck may have a little to do with it, but there is a good chance that the quick selling house (and its owner) was prepared to sell while the other house and owner were not. Although pricing is a very important factor there are other issues that will have a great deal of effect on whether or not you have a quick sale.

5 Steps for Helping Your House to Sell Quickly

1. Prepare yourself to sell your house. Do your best to see the house, no longer as your home, but as a product to be marketed. This takes some work, especially if you have been in the home for a number of years and have many memories there, but it is necessary if you want to maximize your potential.
   
2. Consider a professional whole house inspection. An inspection will most likely uncover any major defects before they can cause trouble with a potential buyer. It also is a signal to buyers that you are a responsible seller.
   
3. Prepare the house. Stand back and look at your house as objectively as possible. Would you buy this home? Ask friends and neighbors to do the same, asking them to be totally honest. Overlooking flaws could cost you money! Get them fixed before you put the house on the market.
   
4. Do what is necessary to make your house stand out from the competition. Make certain that your house is fresher, cleaner, and better maintained. Familiarize yourself with effective marketing and advertising techniques.
   
5. Remove most of the "imprint" that you have made on the house. Having a few family pictures around is fine, but if your house is a "shrine" to your family--walls full of personal pictures--you should take some steps to depersonalize it. Buyers must be able to envision themselves in the house, which is nearly impossible if everywhere they turn they stare at you!