So you have decided that it is time to sell your home - you have enlisted the help of a knowledgeable neighbourhood real estate expert that will help you ease through the process. While every agent will have a few tips and tricks up their sleeves to get your home to sell as quickly as possible, there are a few things you can also do to help sell your home.

Ask your agent for a virtual tour

Whether your agent does a video tour or a more advanced 3D tour, in the digital world having a virtual open house that is accessible to property buyers 24/7 is going to count in your favour. It is a marketable addition to your listing and will get more eyes on your property much quicker than a traditional open house would have.

The secret to open house success

If you have lived in a property in a long time and even more so if you have raised a family in the home, we tend to think that our homes are the best - however, while it might be true that you do have a stellar property making sure that shines through when you do have an open house is crucial.

The easiest way to do this is to clean up. This means you declutter everything and remove as much of the personal items you possibly can. Bonus is that you are already making a dent in the packing you'll have to do once the property is sold!

If you are a pet-owner it would be advisable to go through the house and make sure it is odour and hair-free the morning of the open house. Keep the garden clean from pet waste and during the show hours it would be great if you could either have someone take the dogs for a walk of if you are not sticking around, taking them with you.

Maintenance and upgrades

Fix all the niggling maintenance issues and if it is financially possible, give the property a fresh coat of paint. 

If you are going to paint - use neutral colours and steer clear of wallpaper, as not everyone will like bold colours or bright patterns. The more neutral it is, the easier it will be for potential buyers to imagine their own touches and finishes inside the home. It will also mean that the house is more move-in ready and won't scare off buyers that aren't in the market for a fixer-upper.

Remember that you might not get your money back if you undertake a huge project before you put your house on the market - unless you have done your research on what buyers are looking for in properties and if they are truly value-adding projects. But if you are looking to sell fast rather just opt to do updates that will pay off replace door handles, cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, fix leaky faucets and clean the grout.

The best places to do updates in your home are your kitchen and bathrooms - if they are outdated, buyers are usually a little more hesitant. 

Always be ready to show

It can be quite exhausting having your home ready to show at all times but if you set a schedule for cleaning and decluttering you won't be caught off guard if your agent calls to set an appointment to bring a very interested buyer.