Even though it feels prohibitive, particularly since you will pay the sales commission for your agent and the buyer's agent, when selling an investment as large as your house, it's smart to hire a reputable, aggressive, and professional real estate agent or broker. Whether you love the idea or hate the idea, selling a home is emotional. You need someone with professional savvy who can market your home and negotiate the best deal.

The agent will assume marketing responsibilities, as follows:

• The agent will photograph your home, ask about any and all special features, prepare all marketing materials, and price your home based on current market conditions.

• The agent will advertise your home in a Multiple Listing Service and hold a broker's open house as quickly as possible to increase its visibility.

• The agent will schedule open houses to lure prospective buyers and handle all individual appointments.

• The agent will negotiate with potential buyers, or their agents, make sure all paperwork is handled properly and verify that the buyer's financing is solid.

You may be able to negotiate a lower sales percentage with your broker — most agents ask for 6 percent, but you can frequently bargain them down to 5 or even 4 percent (if they get the buyer's agent to agree to trim their take).

Traditionally, the highest-priced offers and the largest volume of offers will come within the first four weeks of listing. Take advantage by sprucing up your home and readying yourself to field offers.

Making Improvements

Ask your agent what you can realistically do to improve the property. Unless absolutely necessary, avoid expensive upgrades. Instead, rent a storage unit and remove all excess clutter, keeping only what makes the home more attractive. Clean the house thoroughly, plant a few flowers, and touch up interior and exterior paint.

If your house needs a new roof or extensive landscaping, tell your agent you are willing to pay for half of a reasonable bid if necessary to make the sale. Faced with the option of living with the cheapest roof or landscaping you can find, the buyer may be willing to negotiate.

On open house days, bake bread or cookies or use scented candles. Soft lighting and classical music also increase ambiance. Home staging companies — which offer interior decoration — are expensive and best left to those with money to burn.

What About Contingencies?

It's important to be truthful on your “full disclosure” statement, as required by law. If the buyer makes the sale contingent upon your paying for minor repairs, you can usually hire an inexpensive handyman. Failing to disclose latent or unseen problems like seasonal flooding could lead to more expensive repercussions, including expensive lawsuits.

The buyer will usually request that the sale be contingent upon inspections — termite, water, roof, heating and plumbing, and so on. The buyer will arrange and pay for these inspections. However, be aware that inspectors almost always find “problems” that the buyer will then require you to address. Particularly when it comes to termite inspections, ask your agent to recommend inspectors who offer a fair report and counteroffer with a contingency limiting their choices to these known inspectors.

Also, to minimize excess charges or surprise upgrades, counteroffer with a contingency that “all reasonable repairs must be approved by seller.” The buyer will also have the home appraised. If your agent has accurately calculated its market value, the appraisal is simply a formality — the mortgage lender should approve the buyer's loan.