• Do not count on open houses to sell your home as less than 5% of buyers find their home at an open house. 

• Work with a realtor who is knowledgeable about your community and understands the local market and prospective client base.

• Tour similar homes in the community to better understand the competition – what homes sold for 6-12 months ago may not be a good estimate for today. 

• Consider staging your home or at the very least, view your home as a prospective buyer.  Does it have curb appeal?  Is there a wow factor when you walk in?  Is it clean and presentable?  What can I do to improve my chances of selling the home? 

• Offer prospective buyers a neighborhood ‘reference’ list.  (This may be difficult for vacation home owners).  Make a list of your most reliable neighbors, features and amenities within your community and explain what makes the neighborhood a truly unique place to live.

• On-line photoes should be taken on a sunny day with a wide-angle lens.  Approximately, one-third of buyers who responded to a recent survey said they would eliminate homes they saw on-line if they had too few or poor quality photoes.

• Consider a pre-inspection to give you a selling edge.  Include information about any repair work completed since you bought the home.  If you don’t market your improvements, eg new roof, A/C, pool heater, etc. you won’t get as much return for them.

• Once your home is on the market, accept feedback and tweak as necessary.

Source:  Florida Association of Realtors (Orlando, Fla July 1st 2008)