Gearing up to sell your house before the last leaf falls? Summer may feel like it’s slipping away — but your homeownership goals are very much within reach.

From finding the right agent to strategizing on price, here’s how you can start preparing for tomorrow’s fall sale today.

#1 Find A Trusted Agent: The internet makes it easy to delve into a real estate agent’s professional experience, helping you choose the right person to work with. Look up agents’ online profiles to learn how long they’ve been in the industry, how many sales they’ve closed, and which designations they may have earned. An insider tip? Pay attention to how (and where) they market their listings, along with how professional their listing photos look.

#2 Establish A Timeline: Selling a house is a major undertaking that can take several weeks or months from start to finish — sometimes even longer, depending on local market conditions. The bottom line? Planning ahead is key. At least two or three months before you plan to list, consider getting a pre-sale home inspection. This is optional but can be useful to identify any problem areas, especially if you suspect serious issues could be at play. Leave enough time to schedule necessary repairs. About a month before listing your house, start working on deep cleaning in preparation for taking listing photos. Keep clutter to a minimum, and consider moving excess items to a storage unit to show your home in its best light.

➤ Are you looking for more advice on how to sell your home in DC? Read these posts next:

• How Long Does it Take to Sell a House in DC?
• Top Tips for Selling a DC Condo
• 10 Questions to Ask Your Realtor Before Selling

#3 Decide On Valuable Upgrades: Before you spend money on costly upgrades, it’s wise to ensure the changes you make will yield a high return on investment. It doesn’t make sense to install new granite countertops, for example, if you only stand to break even on them — let alone lose money. Plus, these improvements may not be necessary to sell your home for top dollar, particularly if inventory levels are low in your area. A good real estate agent will know what people in your area expect and can help you decide what needs doing and what doesn’t.

In general, updates to the kitchen and bathrooms provide the highest return on investment. But at the same time, inexpensive DIY projects can also go a long way: A fresh coat of neutral paint and spruced-up landscaping are low-cost ways to make a great first impression.

#4 Start Decluttering: There’s no getting around it: Many potential buyers won’t be able (or willing) to see past your clutter. Our advice? Make decisions about what to ditch now and not only will your house sell faster — your move will be easier. Since the hardest part is getting started, we suggest taking one room (or even part of one room) at a time and dive in. Recycle or shred paper. Donate books, toys, clothing and duplicate household items. If you’re getting frustrated and you can’t deal with one more stack of papers or shoebox of old photos, put them in a plastic tub, label the tub and stack it somewhere out of the way.

Are you downsizing? Here are some helpful tips for decluttering when you are downsizing!

#5 Set Your Price: Even in competitive markets, buyers don’t want to pay more than they have to, so it’s crucial to get the pricing right. Going too high can backfire, while underestimating a home’s value might leave money on the table. To price your home perfectly from the start, consult comps. This information about recently sold properties in your neighborhood gives you an idea of what comparable homes around you are selling for, thus helping you decide how much you might reasonably ask.

Ready to start strategizing about your upcoming autumn sale? Our team of trusted listing agents is just a few clicks away. Contact us directly by calling 202.280.2060 or email jsmira@jennsmira.com today.