• Prepare the home to sell before you ever list it for sale.

This means not only clean the home but fix anything and everything you can visibly see. When you have done all that, get a friend to come through and examine the home with fresh eyes. Many times living in a home for years can make you blind to many unsightly issues. This may even be a good time to get a home inspection of your own. I know, your buyers will want one too, but you may get more interest in your home when buyers know you have already taken the time and money to make sure everything is up to par before you list.

• Clean and keep it clean.

This is not difficult to do the first time, it's the days and weeks that follow that may be difficult. But remember the more you do up front and the more flexible you are, the quicker the offer and then you can breath a little. Keeping a home clean with kids is especially difficult, but there are ways to get around it.

Pack many toys, items, unnecessary bedding and clothes up so there is just less "stuff" to cause a mess.

Try and keep the home in such a way that there would always be a 30 minute clean up time, no more. As inconvenient as it is, many solid buyers may give you very little notice to view your home.

Don't succumb to that "lived in" feel. Buyers want a home THEY can simply move right into. No personal belongings, collections or trinkets. Keep it neutral.

• For ideas, suggestions and tips visit model homes, open houses and know your competition.

Remember, you are competing with dozens of similar homes on the market. You must set your home apart. How do you do that? Visit them and offer something they don't have. Tour model homes in subdivisions and find out what buyers are actually viewing. If you set up your home similar and offer it for less money, you will get showings and ultimately an offer.

Remember to contact me for your free listing presentation on how I would personally market your Kansas City MO real estate.