Ralph Janisch

You have to be very comfortable with the agent you choose. But, before you do anything else you MUST make sure that your home is ready to sell. What that means is walk out to the street with your yellow pad and start writing. Look at your home with the eyes of a prospective buyer who as we all know will be VERY picky. Is the lawn and garden in perfect shape? Trees and bushes all manicured? Beds all freshened and mulched and fresh flowers planted? How about the front walk and door? Is the walk clean or is it covered with algae or dirty stains..... (think waterblaster) Front door should be clean and fresh. If not, paint it. Clean the gutters and paint any areas with peeling flaking paint. Is there mold or mildew on the exterior walls? If so, clean them. Wash the windows.... squeaky clean. Then move inside and look for the same things. Dirt, clutter, dirty carpet, smells. Clean it if you can, paint it if needed, replace carpet that won't clean properly and then stage the home. If you don't know how, look for Accredited Home Staging Specialist or even an interior decorator. The cost for a couple of hours for a decorator could pay off handsomely when you sell. Then declutter EVERYTHING. Then go back and re-examine again and declutter some more. When you have done these things you should be ready to call up a realtor and interview him/her to see if you can work together. - Wed Jun 11 2008, 15:05