Selling your home in the competitive real estate market requires a change in mindset. It's important to remember that the house is no longer ?your home?. What was once your home is now a product that must be marketed to buyers in your area, regardless of how long you and your family have been there, how many personal memories are associated with the home and how much money or time you've personally invested in the property. Here are a few suggestions to help you prepare to sell your real estate.

1. Walk through your home and look at it from a buyer's perspective. Write down any imperfections that are noticeable to the naked eye. Is the plaster on the walls cracking? Are there pet stains in the carpeting or sections of hardwood flooring that are bad? Is paint peeling from the walls? Fix whatever small tasks you can tackle on your own, whether it's fixing a crack in the wall or painting rooms to freshen up the house.

2. Earn the trust of potential buyers by providing them with professional estimates from reliable contractors on bigger projects like new roofing, replacing worn carpeting or flooring and adding new windows.

Gather any warranties for appliances, your furnace, hot water tank, central air and anything else that will remain a part of the house when you leave.

3. Enlist the help of friends, contractors or an experienced Real estate agent who will view your house objectively and not refrain from pointing out problems and offering suggestions.

It can sometimes be difficult to break that emotional attachment to your house and find fault in a place that has been dear to you and your family for so many years. Someone has to look at your home without that bias.

You can also learn a lot from the prospects viewing your home. Once your home is added to real estate listings, you'll likely find many interested people scheduling to view your home. These people have likely viewed other real estate for sale. Listen intuitively for any revealing comments. If you hear multiple times that the house is dreary - improve the lighting. If you hear comments that the paint colors are too loud or vibrant ? repaint the walls with white paint or neutral colors.

It's also a good idea to order a pre-sale home inspection. This way the buyer's home inspection shouldn't reveal any major issues that could potentially delay a closing or cancel a contract. Any looming issue can be repaired prior to even listing your home.

4. CLEAN! So many people overlook this important aspect of showing off a home to potential buyers. Wipe down the walls and baseboards. Vacuum the carpeting and mop the floors. Tidy up any mess left behind by children or pets. Everyone accumulates clutter when living in the same place for an extended period of time. It's good to purge items that will not be following you in your move. Think of it as getting your belongings organized right now so everything is less of a hassle come moving time!

5. Make the outside of your home as attractive as possible. Be sure to mow the lawn, plant flowers and trim the bushes, all of which will give the home some curb appeal. Maybe purchase a nice lamppost to light up the walkway to your home, purchase a new address plate or treat yourself to a new mailbox. Something that will ?wow? buyers before they even walk through the front door.

Follow some, if not all, of these suggestions and you should have a much easier time selling your property!