I worked an open house today with a Realtor in Eastern Connecticut.  The event was scheduled to take advantage of additional traffic passing by the home due to a local agricultrual fair.  In spite of the extra traffic we managed to have only one visitor to the property.  Fortunately, it was someone who had seen the home before, was very interested, and made a verbal offer on the spot, but still the open house felt wasted due to the light traffic. 

What I really saw, though, was a clear example of what sellers should NOT do when putting their homes on the market, especially in today's highly competitive environment.  Here are some specifics:

• Don't leave projects unfinished -- The home had a great room built as an addition several years back, which moved the primary entrance.  The steps to the old entrance which had since been turned into a wall were still in place, crumbling slowly for all to see.
• Don't let the summer pass without cutting the grass -- This was particularly amusing, as the Realtor assured me she had confirmed with the seller Friday that he had taken care of this most basic landscaping duty.  On arrival, it was pretty clear who had control of the yard, and it wasn't the owner.
• Don't set your price in a vacuum  -- The Realtor showed me 6 comps she had pulled, all of which had equal or greater GLA and acreage as the subject, all of which had a lower asking price than the subject.  It is so important to listen to your agent in setting a price!
• Keep entropy out -- I could tell the home had been beautiful at one point, but the yard was overtaken by weed growth and the deck and the fence around the pool were simply falling apart.  I understand the seller had been living in his new home for almost a year now, but there is no excuse!
• Stage your home nicely -- This home was completely vacant.  No furniture, no decorations, no family photos placed strategically, which made it very easy to spot the defects.  I'm convinced that even a little bit of decoration and that lived-in look go a long way. 

In spite of the result of the open house, it's clear to me that a home must be one of the best in the marketplace at its price level to even stand a chance in the current environment.  I wouldn't have considered making an offer on this house if I were looking for something similar, because with everything else I have to get done each week, the amount of work needed to get that home back into shape was enormous.  If you make your home the best it can be and price it aggressively, it will sell.  If you don't, plan on keeping it.