(See an example of what we do for you)

1. Make sure you deal with an agent you can trust: high integrity, excellent work ethic, and experience are the keys.
2. Your agent should help you price your home.  It is very important to price your home correctly.  An overpriced property won't sell, and after the property sits on the market for several months, the final selling price often falls lower than the true value of the property, just because "everyone's seen it." Real estate agents call this type of listing "shopworn."
3. The time it takes to sell your property depends on location and pricing relative to the market.  30 to 60 days is typical in this market.  With new financing requirements, 30 days for buyers who must obtain financing is a minimum.  Short sales typically take at least 5 months, and one of the agents in our office just closed one that has been going on for two years.  However, a "short sale" provides you with much less impact on your total credit picture.  Please contact us for other features and issues with short sales.
4. Keys to a potentially good offer are two: amount of cash down and the financial strength (income, assets, credit) of the buyer.   Your agent should require potential buyers to provide preapprovals from a reputable broker or other lender, and for cash offers, should require proof of funds.  Knowing the financial strength of a particular buyer is paramount in separating good offers from weak ones.
5. Always stage your property for showing with the exterior and interior clean and neat. This demonstrates you care about the property and care about doing right for the buyer. 
6. The home should smell nice and have no clutter.  Pictures or mirrors may be used to make the home look more spacious.  If you have a dog as a pet, keep it and any evidence out of the house, just in case the buyer doesn't like pets, or has allergies.
7. When the potential buyer arrives, don't follow them around.  Let your agent do the talking and let the buyer absorb the information they need. If the buyer comes with his own agent (your agent is not present), be available to answer questions if you're home.  Otherwise, don't get in the way.  Buyers like to look at the property for themselves.