We all have different reasons to sell a house: new job, a new family member, down-scaling or buying a newer home. But when you decide to sell, no matter the reason, you can do some things in advance to make it a less stressful and a successful process.

1. De-clutter even before your realtor visits your home

Look at your home with the eyes of a buyer: open your closets, go room by room and toss out, recycle and donate. When you think you’re done, do it again. Doing it before your realtor instructs you to puts you ahead of the game and relieves stress.

2. Have an informed two-way discussion with your realtor about your property’s market value

Realtors access sales histories through MLS and should provide you with these facts and the information you need to do your own market research. Sales histories, regardless of current market conditions, both of your home and comparable homes in your area, generally reveal consistencies and are an objective measurement that you and your realtor can use to determine your home’s asking price.

3. Be prepared to do some staging before taking pictures

Showings are meant to present a photo-ready home and appeal to the broadest market, but because online searching and browsing is such a critical part of the home-buying process, a better-photographed home will sell faster because more people are enticed to visit the home when they know what they are getting before they even set foot in the home. Pack your family photos and personal treasures so you can showcase them in your new home. If you do not have the right furniture for each room consider renting it to make sure each room has a function. Make sure that all the blinds and curtains are open to fill the house with natural light and, if having a showing at night, turn on all the lights.

It is more profitable to invest 2 or 3 days and 1% of the price of the home doing small fixes than having to lower the price of the home up to a 15%. So empty the kitchen sink, clean the windows, fix the whole in the wall or the broken door and replace those lightbulbs. The objective is to highlight your home’s best characteristics and eliminate possible objections from the buyers.