Now that it's time to sell your house, what should you do to compete with the others in your market?

Economics come into play here.  It may be better to allow the new buyer to assume the costs of changing the kitchen or other amenities, or give an allowance in the sales price to reflect the costs.  Buyers are looking for a living space for themselves and will be looking at changes to your home.

The first area to look at is clean.  This is in all directions and areas, floors, walls, ceilings, etc.  Also the garage and basement.  Nothing can replace clean, it can't be shiny enough.  New paint (neutral colors), cleaned carpets, waxed wood, etc. will give you a strong edge, also don't forget about smells and scents.

Second, look at your list of delayed maintenance items.  Maybe get a pre-engineer's inspection done to see what buyers will see.  If it's in the budget, fix it up.  If you think a buyer won't notice, you're wrong.

Third, look to properly stage a house.  This is more than a couple of accent pieces, it is a strategy that shows your potential buyer how a living space could be used.  Depending on the property, you will be seeing different demographics, paying for a good stager could be the difference in a lot of money at the table.

So declutter, clean and stage your way to a successful sale!