We Tried to Sell Our Home by Owner

If you're getting ready to list your house on the market, you certainly want it to sell as quickly as possible. Although you can't control the local real estate market, you can do things to help your home sell faster. The following seven tips will set you up for success when listing your house for sale with professional realty services.

1. Know Your Market

According to U.S. News and World Report, you'll receive the most activity on your home listing during the first 30 days. If your house is priced much higher or lower than comparable properties in your market, you may not get a second chance to capture those prospective buyers that initially dismissed your listing. Make these first 30 days count by researching the housing market and hiring a seller's agent with experience in your local region.

2. Improve Your Home's Curb Appeal

As the old saying goes, "You never have a second chance to make a good first impression." No matter how great the interior looks, if your home has poor curb appeal, prospective buyers have already formed judgments before ever stepping foot through the door. Take an honest look at the exterior of your property and take simple steps to improve aesthetic flaws, like:

• Plant flowers or add window boxes
• Paint peeling trim
• Replace the worn mailbox
• Trim overgrown shrubs and vegetation

3. Emphasize the Storage Space in Your Home

The amount of storage space in your home will be a major focus of many potential buyers. If your closets appear overstuffed or cluttered, this can give the impression of inadequate storage space. Potential buyers will open closets and cabinets, so remove excess items so these "hidden" spaces appear tidy and organized, even if it means moving your extra belongings into a temporary storage unit until the house sells.

4. Remove Remnants of Household Pets

Although you may be a pet lover, not everyone feels the same way so it's important to create an environment free of pet odors, litter boxes and tufts of fur in order to appeal to a wider range of buyers. Plus, pet remnants (e.g. urine stains on carpets, pet hair stuck to furniture, etc.) can give the impression that your home is not as clean as it really is.

5. Make Small Improvements that Matter

Small improvements and updates can go a long way in sprucing up a house for sale. This doesn't mean you need to make pricey renovations before listing your home, but small improvements, such as fresh paint and shiny new faucet handles, can make a huge difference in the overall appearance of your home. Remember, potential buyers notice everything.

6. Start with a Clean Slate

When potential buyers view your home, they want to imagine themselves living there. Turn your home into a clean slate so buyers will not be preoccupied looking at your personal photographs or knick knacks when they should be picturing their own belongings in the house. Remove personal clutter and arrange the furniture in a way that maximizes the full potential of your home.

7. Let Lighting Work for You

When staging your house or simply preparing it for sale, don't underestimate the importance of good lighting both indoors and out. Strategically placed accent lights can convey the right mood in a room or accentuate positive features of your home. Also, make sure all walkways, stairwells and halls are properly lit for safety and visual appeal.

Implementing these seven tips can help set you up for success the minute your home listing goes live. Think about the features you would want to see as a prospective buyer and make those types of improvements so your home appeals to a wide and varied buying audience.