Selling your home, for any reason, is a big decision. It will be a positive experience for you if you enlist the assistance of a seasoned real estate professional who will guide you through the process.

The preparation of your home is most important. It should be freshened up from the front door to the back door. There should be no clutter evident. Closets and cupboards should not be stuffed with the overflow of items which have no permanent home. Rent a storage cubicle, if you must to rid your home of excess stuff. If you don't have room for all of your possessions, the buyer will feel that there is not enough room for their possessions either!

The walkways and yard should be neat. Toys and outdoor equipment must be stored neatly and not left in the way of prospective purchasers. The front door is the first entry to your home. It should be fresh, windows clean, paint in good condition in order to portray the appearance of the homeowners pride in and care of their home. If the entry is in need of care the perception might be that other maintenance items are neglected within the home.

The marketing and advertising exposure of your home is very important, but the most important aspect of selling a home is to make it accessible to agents and prospective purchasers. It is most frustrating to buyers and agents who must make several attempts at viewing a home which is purportedly for sale! The less restrictions placed on showing times, the more quickly your home will sell. It is always advisable for the homeowner to leave the home during showings and open houses.

The majority of homes are sold by an agent who has learned of the home's availability through the multiple listing service. The agents will preview the home for their clients at an open house for agents held as soon as the property is listed for sale. If possible, there will be a public open house scheduled for the Sunday immediately following the listing date. This can be a major traffic event! Depending on the current inventory, the public open house will generate an abundance of interest. Plan to leave your home for the time of the open house.

In preparation of your sale, gather your house papers together. You will need your closing statement from your original purchase which should contain your deed, title report, title insurance policy and property survey. These should be given to your attorney so that he/she will have the necessary information to draw up a contract. As soon as an acceptable offer has been tendered and a meeting of the minds has been reached a memorandum of sale (fact sheet) will be transmitted to your attorney. If you don't have an attorney, this is the time to interview some. Several names can be given to you by your agent, who knows those attorneys that are familiar with real estate law. Uncle Joe, whose law expertise is in the area of anti-trust litigation or medical malpractice, is not the attorney you want to choose for the job!

The ultimate purpose and objective in the sale of a home is to make it as smooth a transaction as possible. There can be glitches, but seasoned agents are familiar with any and all of the issues which might arise. They are masters at avoiding problems by anticipating them, resolving them and never allowing them to become issues. Happy house sale!!!