When you sell a home, there are five important factors that you want to consider. These will greatly sway not only the final price you get for the property, but also how fast it will sell and how much misery you will suffer through the sale.

The Condition Of The House

Making a good first impression is very important in selling property. Painting the front door and trim, making sure the doorbell functions, putting furniture and clothing in storage, and cleaning off counter tops and fridges are just some of the little things that you can do to make your property more marketable. Remember -- cleanliness and ownership pride will get you more money than age old dirt.

Where Is Your House Located?

Throughout history it's been said the three things to look for in buying a property are location, location and location. There are positive and negative factors to almost every location. Let's imagine your property is right next door to a fire station. You need the kind of marketing professional that can convince potential buyers of the benefits of not having to worry about their new home burning down, or perhaps the savings on fire insurance. No matter where your property may be located, there is a ready, willing, and able buyer in the marketplace. Don't worry! You can overcome the problems with property location, you just need a realtor who will work very hard to do so.

Who's Your Realtor?

Not all realtors are the same. Each takes a different approach to marketing homes. These range from as basic as placing the home on the MLS system and hoping it will sell, to those realtors who aggressively market the home through newspaper advertising and the Internet. Go with a realtor who meets the following criteria, and you will more than likely have a good real estate experience:

• His or Her Personality. It's tough to work with an agent you don't like. You won't trust him or her, and the entire experience will be a complex one. You have enough on your mind without having to argue and quarrel with your agent. No matter how good an agent is, if you don't like each other, then it won't be a good experience.
  
• His or Her Availability. Having a full time realtor, or a group of them, is critical to successfully selling your home. If your realtor isn't available to sell your house because he or she has a different day job, then how dedicated will that realtor be to you?
  
• His or Her Work Ethic. Just like any other professional in your life, you need a realtor who is hard working, professional and definitely organized. Have you ever seen a lawyer show up for a case in sweat pants and a tee-shirt? Or a doctor say, "I'm sorry, I can't deliver your baby because I'm golfing today"? What about an accountant who can't manage his own money? It's reasonable to expect the same level of professionalism from your real estate agent.

Having a professional realtor working on your behalf will make your entire experience more positive.

Terms Of The Deal

Are you flexible on when the buyer can take possession? Is your home easy to show? Are you ready to negotiate on appliances or other chattels? This flexibility can make your home a lot more attractive to potential buyers. For example, many out-of-town buyers won't even consider a home if the possession is not flexible. First time home buyers frequently have to purchase appliances with the home because they have to use all of their savings for the down payment. Where are they going to get $4000 to buy appliances?

What's the Price?

Figuring out the price is more than just selecting a number. It involves careful property analysis. Many things come into play when determining the price to sell your home. In fact, it's generally the price that makes short comings in the other factors balanced. For example, if your home was damaged by careless renters, is difficult to gain access to, is right next door to a drug haven, and is located between the city dump and the airport, then the home price will have to be set accordingly. But be aware, while the price can fix almost every short coming, it's not always the best solution.

Having a realtor who will be honest with you regarding these factors is important, and can save you thousands of dollars.

This article was prepared with the help of John Carle & Sharon Gregresh.