Selling your Los Angeles real estate this spring? Unfortunately, home sales predictions for this season are not especially encouraging due to an excessive housing inventory and the continued economic uncertainty nationwide. However, in spite of the shadow of soft sales in the near future, there are steps you can take to distinguish your home from the competition and increase your chances of selling quickly at a fair price.

1. CHOOSE A GOOD AGENT:

Search out a successful realtor who knows your neighborhood, has a good track record in your community, and presents a solid and aggressive plan for selling your Los Angeles real estate.

2. SET A REASONABLE ASKING PRICE:

Be realistic. Have your agent analyze the comps and personally check out the competition. Resist the “greed need” and accept any offer that is reasonable. Beware of hesitation; in today’s market, opportunity doesn’t often knock twice.

3. CONCENTRATE FIRST ON CURB APPEAL:

Remember the fairground midway barkers who encouraged folks to enter their sideshows? Your home’s exterior and landscaping play a similar role. You can’t sell your Los Angeles real estatesold unless you can entice potential buyers to come inside and be wowed, and that first look at the outside of your property is instrumental in their decision whether or not to do so. Paint fences, railings, mailboxes, and house numbers; update light fixtures and the front door; replace the old door mat. Rake the yard, trim the bushes, and remove all debris. Mow the lawn (did you know that yards that are mowed on the diagonal appear larger?). Edge walkways and set out colorful spring flowers in beds or in containers. Make sure that the outside windows are clean and that the entrance is attractively staged.

4. SCRUTINIZE THE INTERIOR OF YOUR HOME:

Clean, clean, clean! Make the place sparkle with clean windows and mirrors, shiny bathroom fixtures, new or freshly laundered window treatments, and colorful accents in pillows, linens, towels, area rugs, or art. Repair, remove, and/or refurbish faded walls, dripping faucets, and dated wallpaper. Pay the most attention to the kitchen, family room, bathrooms, and master bedroom. Polish floors ‘til they gleam, and add fragrance to the air by displaying freshly-cut flowers. Reposition--or remove--large or unnecessary furniture pieces to make rooms look larger and improve traffic flow. Put personal items away so that buyers can picture themselves, not you, in the home.

5. MAKE THE PURCHASE OF YOUR HOME AN IRRESISTIBLE DEAL:

If you haven’t already done so, increase the “greenness” of your Los Angeles real estate by updating your insulation, installing energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, appliances, windows, and the like. These cost-effective improvements will go far in impressing savvy buyers. Also, offer incentives. Paying a portion of closing and/or moving costs and providing a one-year home warranty program have become fairly common means to attract serious buyers.