1.Pick a good agent. Don’t just throw a dart at the yellow pages, be selective. An agent who sells homes in your own home’s price range will be in the best position to help you. Cruise neighborhoods in your range and see whose name or what brokerage pops up. Then interview three different possible agents. Ask them how they would go about selling your home. What are market conditions now, what’s selling and why. Ask them how they’re different than any other real estate agent and why you should sign with them. Don’t sign with an agent that you don’t feel comfortable with.

2. Price it Right: If you’ve lived in “the old place” for ages, your emotions may well color your judgment as to how much to ask. A real estate agent who is familiar with your neighborhood is often in a better position to suggest an asking price. And to sell quicker, you’ll probably wind up with less.

3. Declutter: One of the biggest turn-offs for prospective home buyers is a cluttered house. If you’re moving into the fulltime lifestyle, you’ve probably already had your share of garage sales. If there’s “stuff” that you’ll be taking with you in the new life, but it adds to a cluttered appearance, beg space from a friend, or rent a small storage unit to put those precious possessions. If you won’t be taking them with you, just get rid of them.

4. Turn-key is the key: Many home buyers in today’s overloaded market are looking for a place they can move into without having to do anything but bring in the furniture. If you can do it, or afford to have it done, fix things that need fixing. A fresh coat of paint, a bit of landscaping, deferred maintenance items, get them taken care of before you hang the For Sale sign.

5. Be prepared to “sweeten” a deal: It used to be that buyers and sellers would split closing costs. In today’s cold footed real estate economy, be prepared to offer to pay more–maybe even all–of the closing costs.

What if it doesn’t sell in time? Consider renting the place out, but make sure the new tenants will be willing to be ready to show the house. That can be a bit tricky, because if they’re sloppy and cluttered, walk-throughs with prospective buyers can be a nightmare. It’s a bit of a trade off: Can you afford to keep the house un-tenanted, or run the risk of the “tenants from hell”? It’s a tough call, and one we’re glad is long behind us!