Unless your likely buyer is a contractor, you should start by eliminating major deferred maintenance items such as roof repairs or replacement, structural pest control work, or other major components of the property that are in disrepair. These are items that most buyers and their lenders will want to see done before closing. (If you cannot afford to perform this work prior to placing your home on the market then you should have reports, bids and estimates for the work as part of your disclosure package so that buyers can assess the amount of money they will need to undertake the work.)

In today’s marketplace many homes are ‘staged’ before they are placed on the market. Staging is designed to maximize the home’s appeal to buyers. Staging can be as simple as de-cluttering and re-arranging furniture or as complex as a complete make-over including new paint, carpets, landscaping and furnishing. As you prepare to market your home, visit open houses of similar properties to see how they show. These homes are your competition. To get top dollar your house should look better than the best of the competition.