If you're like many people considering selling a home in Nashville or the suburbs, there are seven things you need to know before you list. This guide covers them all.

7 Things Every Seller Should Do Before Listing

Check out the seven things you absolutely need to do before you list your home for sale:

1. Make necessary repairs
2. Talk to a REALTOR
3. Consider upgrades
4. Set the right price for your home
5. Know your lower limit for accepting an offer
6. Stage your home to appeal to a wide range of buyers
7. Plan your availability for showings

Here's a closer look at each.

#1. Make Necessary Repairs

Before you list your home for sale, make necessary repairs. Leaky faucets, torn window screens and creaky doors or floorboards all need some attention before you put your home on the market. The reason: People who tour your home and discover minor problems will likely believe that if you ignore minor issues, you're pretty likely to ignore major ones, too - and they may think that your house is a lemon because it's not properly maintained.

Related: How to Stage Your Outdoor Living Space to Sell Your Home

#2. Talk to a REALTOR

Getting advice from an experienced real estate professional is one of the best ways to get your home ready for sale. A REALTOR can help you with pricing, staging and other important selling tasks. Plus, they have access to the latest market data that shows what's selling in your area right now. They also know first-hand what buyers are looking for because they're the ones out there showing people homes in real-time.

#3. Consider Upgrades (and Make Them)

Depending on your budget and the time frame you have to sell, you may be able to make upgrades that appeal to potential buyers, which can help you sell your home faster and for more money. Though you don't have to take on a huge remodeling project just to sell your home, it may be time for a fresh finish on kitchen cabinets, new hardware, new flooring or other upgrades. Your real estate agent will be happy to tell you what buyers really want from the homes they're buying right now.

Related: How to Price Your Home for Maximum Profit

#4. Set the Right Price for Your Home

When it comes to setting the right price for your home, you don't want to go too high or too low. Setting a realistic and attractive price is critical in getting buyers to not only show interest but make offers on your home. A real estate agent can help you figure out the right price for your home by conducting a comparative market analysis (CMA) and telling you what other homes similar to yours have recently sold for.

#5. Know Your Lower Limit for Accepting an Offer

Before you list your home, it's important to set a lower limit that you won't go below if someone makes an offer. This will help you when it comes to negotiating with a buyer; you'll know when to stop negotiations and cut off further communication.

Related: 5 Bathroom Staging Tips Buyers Love

#6. Stage Your Home to Appeal to Buyers

Staging can make all the difference when it comes to getting people interested in buying your home. By decluttering, arranging furniture and decorating in a way that appeals to potential buyers, you can create an inviting atmosphere that buyers find irresistible. Check out these five simple staging tips:

1. Get rid of excess furniture, collections and personal items. You don't have to get rid of them permanently; you can simply put them in storage.
2. Arrange furniture in a way that shows off each rooms best features.
3. Place artwork to draw the eye toward your home's best features.
4. Add a few cozy touches such as area rugs, throws and pillows.
5. Clean, clean and clean some more. Your home should be spotless, because you're not just selling four walls and a roof. You're selling a lifestyle, and what buyers want is a lifestyle that doesn't require constant scrubbing.

#7. Plan Your Availability for Showings

After you list your home, it's important to plan when potential buyers can come see it. You'll need to be available at least a few days a week for showings (and also be able to accommodate shorter-notice requests whenever possible). The more available your home is, the more likely you are to sell it quickly and at the price you want.

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