There are many things that need to be done to a house before picking up that phone and calling your realtor. Following the steps below will help ensure that you get the most money possible for your house.

One of the most important things to remember is that some one else is going to be buying your house. As simple as that sounds, it is one of the most often overlooked points. You must appeal to the masses and not your own personal tastes. Paint over those lavender walls that you love so much with a nice neutral color. Think earth tones here, tans and beiges are very popular choices. You also need to remove any personal items such as pictures of family and friends. When a potential buyer visits your house, you want the focus to be on the house, not on the photos of your trip to Mount Rushmore. The idea is to get the potential buyer to picture him or herself living in your house. Any personal items may hinder this ability and will turn the potential buyer away from your house.

Next let's focus our house selling radar on all the junk that you have accumulated throughout the years. Remove any unnecessary clutter and furniture, it is making your house appear smaller than it actually is. Again, you want potential house-buyers to be focusing their attention on how nice your house is rather than on the creepy 4 foot stuffed purple gorilla that your husband won for you at the carnival. Go through the house and think hard about whether you really need this junk. Separate out all the belongings that you do not need. After you have gone through all of the belongings in your house, go through your pile of stuff you do not need, and separate it into stuff that needs to be disposed of immediately and the stuff you can sell at a garage sale or donate. Now for the stuff that you decided that you need. A good idea here is to rent a self-storage unit to keep all of your excess furniture and belongings. If you're too cheap to rent a storage unit, neighbors, friends or relatives may be able to help out here, and store your belongings at their houses temporarily. It is a good idea to remove as much of your stuff as possible from the property. It will make your house look larger, more inviting, not to mention moving out easier. You may also want to consider getting assistance from your realtor with staging your furniture. Staging furniture is the latest trend with selling houses.

Making your house look clean and organized is very important when getting your house ready to sell. Patch any holes in the walls and glue down any peeling wallpaper. You may want to get your carpets shampooed or even replaced in order to make the house look well kept. Simple things like washing the windows and baseboards, dusting every nook and cranny and getting rid of all the cobwebs in your house can make a huge difference. People look at how clean a house is in order to determine how well you cared for it. You may want to hire a maid to do a deep cleaning of your house if you are pressed for time. This will make the upkeep a little bit easier for you. Cleaning out and organizing all of the cabinets, pantries and closets will also make the house more presentable. Make sure your house is clean and presentable every day. You never know when your realtor will need to show your house.

Curb appeal is one of the most important things to focus on when selling your house. Your yard is one of the first things people look at when determining if they want to view your house. A potential buyer may not even consider looking at the inside of your house if the outside looks trashy and unkempt. Make sure your yard is mowed and clean of debris and leaves. You may want to hire a landscaper to add some flowers or small bushes. It does not take a large amount of money to add curb appeal, but it can add huge value to your house.

Following these simple procedures before calling your realtor will increase your chances of obtaining your desired sale price and the quick sale of your house.