The decision to sell your home is a big one. That decision is accompanied by a number of smaller decisions. Questions arise like: should I attempt this on my own or hire a Realtor? What's my home worth? Do I need to do anything to my home before I put it on the market? The list goes on.

My best advice would be to first find out the value of your home in today's market. Let's face it, there are a lot of homes on the market and we are in a recession. Are your thoughts on value in line with the market? A good place to start is by calling a Realtor. There are also a number of places online where you can research the value of homes in your area.

My next best piece of advice would be to get it ready for the market prior to the sign going in the yard. A clean, presentable home will sell a lot faster than one whos owner didn't think ahead.

To get your home ready for market, I'm going to list a few areas where you really need to concentrate.

1. Windows - they should be cleaned inside and out.

2. The exterior - if it needs power cleaned, get it done.

3. Appliances - are any in need of replacement?

4. Carpets - get them cleaned professionally.

5. Clutter - get rid of it even if you have to put some things in storage.

6. Bedrooms - no clutter and new comforters go a long way.

7. Bathrooms - they should shine.

The above mentioned items will improve the prospective buyers "first impression" which is vital to the sale and the price you're looking for.

Another area to pay close attention to is "overpricing". This is one of the worst things you can do. So many sellers want to leave themselves a little wiggle room for negotiating when actually, there will be no negotiation room because prospective buyers will only be looking at properties within a certain price range and if your home is overpriced, you could be left out.