I am always looking for great advice to help homeowners sell their homes. Whether I think of it myself, or I find it from a friend, I enjoy spreading the word.
This article is from Real Estate Marketing Expert Lisa Mullins that I think you will enjoy.

According to NAR's 2008 "Profile of Buyers" and how they find properties, it makes sense to market listings using the 80/20 rule:
33% find their property through a real estate agent
32% find their property through the internet
15% through a "for sale" sign
Based upon this 80%, how would you develop your listing marketing strategy?

Let's start with marketing to other real estate agents. After placing the listing on MLS, this segment is virtually disregarded by many listing agents. Do you know the top agents who are most likely to show and sell your listing? Do you have their email addresses? How do you market to them? With inventory levels high in many areas, it's important to keep your listing "top of mind" to those top agents. Prudential Real Estate Affiliates has "ecards", which are effortless to send out. Some agents use Constant Contact, and some use "Floor Plans Online". Whatever you decide to use, be consistent with your contact to agents, highlighting the most compelling features of the house.

Next is the internet: Let's begin with the basics of photos. Do your photos present your listing in the best possible light? Do they help your listing stand out from the competition? Are you maximizing the number of photos allowable on every site? Since over 87% of all buyers begin their search on the web, attention to the quality of photos becomes one of the most crucial marketing tools. Also, which sites is your company on which enable you to create a differentiation for you or your listings? Have you claimed your listings on trulia.com or zillow.com? Do you place your open houses online to drive traffic? Consumers (including us) love the detail of the information, the ability to search unassisted, that it's 2/47 and real time and the interactivity of the internet. Web presence for listing will grow rapidly for buyers as they demand more information and technology to assist them in their home search.

And, as uninspiring as they are, "for sale" signs still work. While they're not that exciting, they remain a basic tool for a consumer to find a home in an area or neighborhood with which they are already comfortable. The effectiveness of for sale signs also increases with listings with high curb appeal.
In the next few years, success in marketing listings will include a meshing of a strong, compelling and unique online presence, including social networking sites and comprehensive marketing to local, targeted agents. Top agents will persist in pushing the envelope in getting their inventory to stand out from the crowd.

I almost forgot....print advertising? A whopping 3% and dead last on the list of how buyers find properties.
Contact Lisa Mullins at http://www.themarketingbistro.com for more ideas on real estate, technology and effective marketing.

Here are some fabulous tips from a super staging friend Cindy Bryant of Houston, Texas.
If you are looking to sell, you might want to read  Remodeling Magazines 2009's Cost vs. Value Report (CSV).  This will give you an idea of where you'll get your biggest Return On Investment (ROI) before you begin your remodeling project.
These are the top 10 updates from that report from HGTV Front Door.
·  Spruce up or replace your siding.
·  Add a deck.
·  Tweak your kitchen.
·  Repair or replace windows.
·  Overhaul your kitchen.
·  Strip the bathroom.
·  Find cash in the attic.
·  Earn bucks from the basement.
·  Add space to add value.
·  Add low-cost landscaping.
 
Cindy Bryant is the owner of Redesign Etc.  Home Staging & Redesign Specialist in Houston, Texas.  Staging Your House To Sell By Professional Home Stagers!

Getting your house ready to sell can seem overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. Just keep in mind that you're wanting potential buyers to be able to see their own family and possessions in your home.

In order to do that, your home must have more "blank areas" than usual to allow buyers to imagine their things in your space. Since you're going to be packing for your move anyway, go ahead and get a start on it now. Box up out of season clothes to make closets seem more spacious. Remove family photos so buyers don't feel the house is already "taken". Give them opportunities to visually place their possessions by having less of your own spread around the house. Allow your house to still feel comfortable, but never crowded or cluttered.

If you need specific advice, we would be happy to help you prepare your home for sale. Please call us at 916-300-0402 or 916-517-5710
Professional Home Staging Company for Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Placer and Sacramento County.