Have you ever just looked around and discovered that your housing needs have changed? Perhaps you are being relocated in your job, thinking of starting a family, or wanting to downsize and prepare for retirement. Whatever the circumstance, you are now faced with the fact that in order to progress in your plans, you must first sell your house. At TN Properties.com we want to help you sell your home quickly and successfully. To help you achieve this we have divised the following list of selling tips.

House vs. Home

The first step in selling your home is to stop considering it your "home." Instead, refer to it as a house. A home is where you read, and sleep, and raise your children. A house is an architectural structure that has tangible market value that reaches beyond the warm memories you have created there. The first step in selling your "house" is to de-personalize it. Take your family pictures off the walls, box up your knick-knacks, and remove mail and paper piles from view. You want the viewer to see your house as their prospective home, not yours.

Curb Appeal

When prospective buyers pull in the driveway with a realtor what is the first thing they see? If the answer is a broken down car in the yard, you may need to do some reorganizing. Curb appeal is the factor that either makes the buyer anxious to see the interior of the house or apprehensive to step out of the car. There are several actions you can take to bump up your house's curb appeal.

• Mow your lawn, pull weed, and trim the hedges.
• If your house has siding, powerwash it to make it look vibrant and fresh.
• If your house faces north you probably have mold growing on your roof. Hire someone to clean the mold to give your house a cleaner appearance.
• Make your front porch more inviting by adding fresh flowers. Make your house SELLABLE.

Clear the Clutter

Think about the first time you saw the house you currently want to sell. What condition was it in? Most likely it sparkled. To get your house as clean and open as possible start with clearing out the clutter. Possible buyers look for the amount of closet and cabinet space there is in the house. If your closets are crammed full of out-of-season clothing and bulky luggage you are giving the impression that this house can't handle the amount of stuff an average family possesses. Don't forget areas like the garage and laundry room. Have that yard sale you have been thinking about or donate unwanted furniture, clothing, and appliances to a local charity. In the end everyone will benefit.

Smelling like a Rose

Once a buyer walks through your front door the first impression is taken from the visual appearance of the room. The second impression is taken by the smell of the room. A light aromatic fragrance can serve as a subliminal plus in the mind of the buyer. For those of you with indoor pets, make sure you clean out the kitty litter daily and don't forget, a carpet deodorizer works wonders in a room. Finish last year's projects The sink drips, the floors squeak, and the doorbell hasn't exactly chimed the way it did back in '92. This would be the time to address all the minor issues of home repair. Repairing minor problems in the house before you list it can result in you getting thousands more at closing.

Determine A Price

The worst move you can make when selling your house is to set the selling price too high. If a house is priced too high agents may not be willing to spend their time introducing prospective buyers to it. Before deciding on a listing price find out how comparable homes currently on the market are selling for. Keep in mind that circumstances such as location and county taxes should be taken into consideration. Be realistic, just because you may have added $2,000 in light fixtures doesn't necessarily mean that you can add that cost into the price of the house. Even if you reduce the price of your house months after you set an ambitious price, it will lose value in the eyes of the buyer.

For Sale By Owner vs. through an Agent

If your move is immediate, you don't have the time or want to show your property yourself, or you want to rely on an experienced real estate professional to handle your transaction, consider interviewing Realtors to list your home for sale. A Realtor handles marketing, listing in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service of all homes for sale by agency in your area), advertising, showing your home, contract and closing.

For sale by owner is made much easier these days and is growing in popularity. Many of the services available only to agents are now available to you. This eliminates the old fears and hassles of selling a home yourself. Often no one knew how to write a contract or how the mortgage and closing process worked. Today the contract and closing process is tied altogether in packages readily available to homeowners selling their property. Selling your own home can often save you money in real estate commissions, but several factors must be weighed.

• Are you being honest about your home's asking price?
• Is someone available to handle the buyer interest and to show the property?
• Are you able to roles that are traditionally handled by the real estate agent?
• Which marketing and listing options are right for you?

To review, detach yourself from your house, clean it up, and be realistic. Keep in mind, in addition to your real estate agent, sometimes the best resources can be friends and relatives.