The goal is obvious. Get the best deal in the shortest time possible.

The reality is that there are only three aspects of a property for sale:

1. Location
2. Condition
3. Price

Try as you might, you can’t do anything about your location. That leaves you with two things you can change: Condition and Price. If you want more money, or you want to sell faster, you may be able to improve the condition of your property. Beyond that, you’re only other angle is price.

We are seeing appropriately-priced homes sell very quickly. Over-priced homes usually do not sell, even with tight inventory. Buyers will wait for the price reductions! Keep in mind that time on market corrodes prices. It’s true! If a house has been sitting with no offers for several days or weeks (or more), buyers will not feel they need to pay full price. The more time that goes by, the softer that asking price becomes. Time and time again I have seen over-priced listings end up selling for below what they likely would have gotten if they had priced more reasonably from Day 1.

Another advantage to setting a reasonable list price is increased odds of a multiple offer situation. It’s kind of like a safety net. In the event the price is too low, the market will most likely respond with multiple buyers which can drive the price up.

PAINT! There is no greater bang for your buck than painting. If you can do an excellent job yourself, terrific. If not, hire a professional. I cannot stress this enough… paint, paint, paint.

Clean, repair or replace the roof. A newer roof is one of those “make or break” points in a deal. It is a huge selling point to be able to tell buyers that the roof is new or in excellent condition.

Cleanliness and organization cannot be stressed enough. It will be up to the buyer to create their own special space if they purchase the home. Do not try to create one for them. This can alienate certain buyers and make them feel uncomfortable and you need your home to appeal to as many people as possible. Instead, simplify the interior spaces by removing as many items as possible. Go for the “staged” look.

Clean and organize the garage. So often a garage becomes a depository for huge amounts of accumulated “stuff” that has no real purpose beyond our inability to part with certain things. This is something we are all guilty of on some level. Taking some time to clear out the garage is a great idea and it will open up some space for you to put things should you start to pack early (this is also a great idea). A fresh coat of white paint does wonders!