Price Your House According to the Current Market.
Ask several agents how much they can get for your house. If one gives you a much higher price than the others, be cautious: the agent may be suggesting an unrealistically high asking price. This practice is unethical and costs you time and money. Interview at least three agents. They all should back up the suggested listing price with comparable sales data. Working with your agent, determine the appropriate, competitive listing price for your house.
 

Traditionally, pricing your house 5% below the price of the competition attracts more buyers. Some sellers shave 15 to 20% off the price and receive multiple bids. Sometimes buyers bid up the price over what it’s worth. If you don’t want to risk, just price it right to gain the attention of buyers. If getting less money for your house is disappointing, think of the costs associated with maintaining the house, if it sits on the market for several months at an unrealistic asking price.

Further, if your house enters the market overpriced, many buyers will overlook it because it will be out of their range. By the time you reduce the price to fair market value, many potential buyers will have already bought another house.

If you want to get top dollar, you have to be the top house in your neighborhood. Check out your competition and make sure you're ahead of the pack.

Make Your House More Marketable.
When a buyer sees your house for the first time, a critical first impression is made. If applicable, maximize curb appeal by trimming trees and planting flowers. A fresh exterior coat of paint might also prove valuable. If possible, buy at the paint store scent packets to add to the paint before you paint the walls. As time goes by, they will gradually release the scent. Consider neutral colors for interior walls and carpets to make the rooms look larger.

Maximize the light in your house. Open up blinds and draperies to make sure there's sufficient natural light throughout the house, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let the sun shine in.

Conduct a Full House Inspection.
Potential buyers will cast an extremely critical eye over your house and, in a situation when many houses are available on the market, they may take a pass on a house that needs too many repairs. Be sure to have the house inspection report available for prospective buyers itemizing all of the repairs that have been made and the associated cost for each.

Repair squeaky doors, chipped or smudged paint, broken fixtures, etc. Remember that people will look in your cupboards, under your sinks and in your closets. So, organize your closets to show off storage space. The more space buyers see, the larger the closet will look. Clear out excess items, and organize the shelves to show off how much storage you have.

Pay particular attention to odors. Before a showing, open up all of the windows and air the house out. Boil cinnamon, bake cookies, bake bread — do anything you can to have the air smelling fresh and clean.

Make potential buyers fall in love with your house from the street by adding plants, flowers, power-washing patios and walkways, weeding the garden and mowing the lawn.

Make your entryway welcoming by putting in a small bench, a vase of fresh-cut flowers or some freshly baked cookies, if possible.

Your house needs to be "show-ready" at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It may be a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.

If you’ve spent time, money and energy transforming your house into your house, you may be emotionally involved, and have sentimental feelings for your house. However, what you think your house is worth shouldn't be a factor in determining your listing price. Stay objective by focusing on statistics generated by the CMA.

Don't be personally offended by lowball offers. Think of them as the starting point of a negotiation that could result in the sale of your house.

Make a full-price counteroffer, if your comps can back it up. Approach each offer as an opportunity to negotiate. Some motivated sellers offer financial incentives that don’t require cash out of their pocket.

Offer a Sellers Contribution.
A seller can sweeten the deal by offering assistance to the buyer in ways that do not require lowering the asking price. These tactics can help your house to stand out from the crowd. Cautiously consider some counteroffer strategies:

1. Seller financing: You finance some or all of a buyer's mortgage.

2. Offer to  pay points to lower the buyer's interest rate. Buy down the interest rate on the buyers mortgage.
3. Offer to pay a portion of the closing costs.

4. Offer to pay off a buyers bills. Some loan programs allow sellers to pay off the credit card debt or auto loans of the buyer which will help him or her qualify for a better mortgage and prevent the need to buy a smaller, less expensive house.

5. Prepay taxes or insurance for a year.
6. Cover the buyers mortgage payments for up to the first six months.

Depending upon the size of the mortgage, the buyer can save several thousand dollars and the seller still gets the original asking price for the house. It is generally more financially advantageous to do this than dropping the asking price by $30k, $20k, or even just $10,000.
 

7. Many condos and houses across the country belong to homeowners associations that require annual dues.

Paying the first years fees could be a big incentive to a buyer nearing the limit of his or her liquid assets.
 

Offer a House Protection Plan.
Houses with house warranties sell 15% faster, sell for a price 2.2% higher and are 29% more likely to sell.* With so many houses for sale in the real estate market, you need a competitive edge.

A House Protection Plan gives you that, while offering convenient, dependable service when you need it most helping to protect you from the expense of unexpected house repairs.

A House Protection Plan also applies to the house once sold, alleviating the hassle of house repair for the buyer.

Properly priced houses that stand out from the competition are selling within the sellers time frame.

Outside

* Mow and water the lawn.
* Trim trees and plant flowers.

* Put potted flowers in the front.
* Store all bikes, toys and equipment out of sight.
* Paint or touch-up the outside of the house.

* Get rid of unnecessary furniture
* Clean closets and clear off countertops.
* Scrub all tile floors. Clean all carpets.
* Clean all windows and mirrors.
* Clean stains in all sinks and tubs.

* Stop smoking in the house months earlier.

Fix-It
* If necessary, paint any/all rooms. Fix leaky faucets.
* Replace missing door or cabinet handles.
* Fix or replace broken appliances.
* Replace broken tiles in bathroom or kitchen.
* Discuss major repairs with your Sales Associate.

Freshen Up
* Empty all trash, recycle bins, etc.
* Dry-clean drapes and shampoo carpets.

* Bathe pets and clean out litter boxes.
* Use baking soda boxes in smell-prone areas
* Place flowers, potpourri,  vanilla, apple pie air fresheners

Carpeting/Walls/Ceilings
* Are your carpets clean and in good condition?
* Do your carpets need stretching?
* Are there any pet or smoking odors?
* Do your walls have any cracks or holes?
* Do your walls need painting?
* What about that wallpaper?
* Do your ceilings have any water stains, cracks or peeling?
* Do your ceilings need painting?

Garage
* Is your garage organized?
* Is it well lit?
* Is the floor swept?
* Are there oil spots or other stains on the concrete?