You may have spent many years and thousands of dollars decorating your house and it may be perfectly beautiful. But buyers need to be able to visualize their furnishings and their own tastes in your home, so your real estate agent may suggest décor changes that will enable them to do so. This is not a reflection on your taste; it’s a strategy designed to get you the most for your home.

Your agent may also recommend that you arrange to be away from home during showings. While you may want to listen and watch people respond to your wonderful home and talk with them about living here, the presence of a homeowner is often intimidating to buyers, causing them to hurry through and fail to give your home the consideration it deserves.

Don’t be insulted by these suggestions; they are for your benefit. Just think how beautiful your next home will be!

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Real estate agents and their qualified buyers have many properties to preview and may request a viewing of your home with short notice. By providing your agent with a key or allowing a lockbox to be placed on your property, you will give your home the best chance of being considered by serious buyers.

While all of the decisions regarding the sale of your home are ultimately yours, your real estate agent has years of experience and extensive knowledge that can make your sale easier and more profitable. Take time to consider your agent’s suggestions; they will probably end up putting money in your pocket.

Every seller hopes to profit from the sale of their home, and, at least in California, most do. But overpricing is one of the biggest mistakes that a seller can make. Every house has a prime ‘window of opportunity’ – a matter of a few weeks from the time it is put on the market when the maximum number of buyers and real estate agents will view the home. Instead of attracting more buyers, overpriced homes discourage buyers – often those who would be interested and qualified if the property was priced realistically. Interestingly, homes that are priced at or very slightly below market value attract many more buyers and often end up selling in multiple offers that go well over the asking price!

Your agent will provide you with a free “Comparative Market Analysis” that shows current and recent market activity in your area. This information is very helpful as you are establishing a realistic asking price for your home.

Another big mistake a seller can make is to fail to disclose a defect in their home. They may be concerned that the disclosure will discourage buyers or that repairs will be too time-consuming and costly. But undisclosed problems can turn into lawsuits that drag on long after the close of escrow. Such legal proceedings end up being far more expensive than the original repair or a small concession in the asking price offered to an eager buyer.

The careful management of details is essential to a successful real estate transaction – and is an important part of your agent’s role. But sometimes sales get derailed over “small stuff” – matters of a few hundred dollars that seem important at the moment but won’t make any difference to either buyer or seller down the line.

Making sure that your home is marketed to qualified buyers and successful agents is a top priority for your real estate agent. Always ask your agent for a detailed marketing plan that describes print and Internet advertising, open houses, networking, private showings, signage and other methods of promoting your property. But a plan isn’t enough: your agent should also provide you with weekly progress reports and feedback from agents and potential buyers.