Help Your Realtor Sell Your Home More Effectively – Part I
This will be broken down into a multiple-part series to better help sellers help their realtor to sell their home.
Consult a Real Estate Agent
A real estate agent will do all that is in their resources to sell your home. Communicate with your real estate agent and get their expert perspective on things that should be done before you sell your home. Their expert opinion will prove to be invaluable in the sale of your home.
Putting your home up for sale can bring a lot of emotions to the surface for the whole family. No matter what the reason is to sell your home, this was 
your home and it will be packed full of memories of the whole family.
Move On
When you sell your home, move your focus to building new memories and make a better life for your family in a new home. When you do this you will be able to separate yourself just enough to depersonalize your home. Potential buyers will come in wanting to be able to visualize the building of their own memories and personal touches that would make this house their home.
Selling your home is a top priority for a real estate agent. You have the power to help your real estate agent get the most money for the sale of your home. There are various things that you can do to assist them in the process.
Let’s Get Your Home Ready to Sell
The first thing buyers will see when they arrive to look at your home is the exterior. Start with the basics and work your way around the exterior from there.
As you sell your home, whenever a real estate agent speaks of “curb appeal” they are referring to the overall view of the house to a buyer. Make your home look tidy and clutter-free. Mow the yard and pick up any trash that may be lying around. Take time to pull the weeds and that includes in the garden and flower beds, around fences, trees, house, and the garage. Include any outbuildings that may sit on the property as well. Do not leave any weeds or debris behind.
Remove any extra clutter such as stray tools or personalized yard ornaments, extra vehicles, bicycles, motorcycles, and anything else that doesn’t have to be there when you sell your home. This will make a fresh pallet for your buyers to picture.
Pets and Plants
If you have a pet outside pay special attention to cleaning up anything that might leave an odor in or around a dog house or pen from your four-legged family member. Buyers will not love them as much as you do. Big issues in the yard with ticks and fleas should be remedied in advance as well, if at all possible.
Trimming trees and shrubs will only help give your exterior a neat and tidy look. The little things are easily done yourself. If you run into a potential house-damaging limb or a tree that looks like it will fall into the house at the slightest breeze then you should call a professional. Most professionals will give you a free estimate. They will also advise you as to the things that are immediate hazards to the home, things that are optional, and what can be put off. When you sell your home base your decisions on what to have done on your budget and what your listing price is on the house. Don’t put out excessive money on optional work. Save that expense and let the buyers make those decisions as new homeowners.
So far we have spent more elbow grease and time than anything else on your home. Most of what you can do to help your real estate agent sell your home is a minimal expense. The payoff on it will show when you close for your asking price.
In Part 2 we will continue around the exterior of your home.