If you’re thinking about selling your home, you’re sure to have a lot of work on your plate. First, you need to determine if this is the right time to sell your house. Ideally, you want to hold out for a sellers’ market, when selling a house is most likely to benefit you instead of the buyer. Signs of a sellers’ market include growth in the community, low mortgage rates and an upturn in real-estate purchases.

Decide Whether to Hire a Real Estate Agent

In most cases, you’re not required to hire a real estate agent. But many people find the process easier if they hire someone who’s in the business of selling homes. Real estate agents earn a commission if they sell your house (typically 5 to 6 percent of the selling price), but they also save sellers a lot of work and stress.

Set Your Price

When selling real estate, it’s important to set the right price at the very beginning. If you set it too low, you’re cheating yourself out of revenue. But if you set the price too high, buyers may not even bother looking at your home.

To determine a good asking price, do an Internet search to find the selling price of homes in your neighborhood. You can also check out the asking prices of homes still on the market by looking at classified ads or market listings on the Web, but keep in mind that the houses may sell for less than their asking prices. A real estate agent can also use local data to suggest a reasonable asking price for your house.

Stage Your Home

Once you’ve set your price, you need to stage your home to be as attractive to a buyer as possible. Before showing your home:

• Minimize or do away with your own quirky personal touches. A house on the market should be as impersonal as possible so that buyers can envision the house’s potential.
• Remove as much clutter as you can. You want to present a clean, tidy home.
• Thoroughly clean the whole house, and make sure all fixtures are working properly.

Try to have as little furniture in each room as possible. Sparse furnishings give the illusion of more open space, which is often an important feature to buyers. Too much furniture can make the rooms look tiny and cluttered, even if they’re clean.

Show off the biggest features of each room. Does your living room have hardwood floors? Make sure they’re polished and don’t cover them with a carpet. If you have a fireplace or an attractive accent wall, make sure they’re prominently featured and not blocked by furniture or other decorations.