If you're planning on making a move next year, don't wait until the last minute to put your plans in motion. You don't have to spend a fortune preparing your home for sale. In fact, you shouldn't. Concentrate on cost-effective improvements that will give you a good return on your investment. Paint is the least expensive improvement you can make to a home. And, the transformation can occur quickly.

The way your house presents itself from the street (called "curb appeal") is very important. First impressions are lasting. A front gate hanging on a hinge, or peeling trim paint, can cause buyers to wonder what else is wrong. You want to convey the impression that your home is well-maintained.

Go through the house and fix defects--many of which you may have lived with for years. Cleanliness is next to godliness when it comes to selling homes. The interior of your home should gleam. Wash windows inside and out. Hire help, if necessary. And plan to keep your home this way during the entire marketing period. Hire a cleaning person, or service, to come once a week if you are a busy person who doesn't have help. A real estate agent can recommend decorators, painters, gardeners, contractors, handymen, and cleaning crews to help you with fix-up-for-sale chores.

To be a successful seller you must detach yourself emotionally from your home and be brutally honest about how it should look in order to sell. After you've made the decision to sell, the next step is to call Bee Ramanand of Sky Realty inc. 512-663-8007 a real estate agent who will work for you. At the same time, you should start preparing your home for sale.