You've cleaned your carpets, stowed your extra items in the garage and braced yourself for a parade of visitors rummaging through your closets to determine if they want to buy your home ...
Except it appears the parade's already passed by. The record-setting sellers' market of a year ago is gone and, so it seems, are the buyers.
If this scenario sounds familiar, it should ... the local newspapers have been running stories along these lines weekly for months.
But allow me to let you in on a secret ... the buyers are still there. The difference, other than a drop in the number of investors trying to quickly buy and sell properties, is the number of homes on the market. Inventory has risen over a year ago, meaning buyers have a much greater selection from which to choose and can be more selective in their buying decision.
So how do you set yourself apart? Here are a few tips:
1) Comprehensive marketing. Hire a REALTOR who has a varied and complete marketing plan for your home -- direct mail, Internet, automated feedback on your home, etc.
2) Competitive pricing. The other homes for sale in your area aren't just comparables, they are your competition. Think about gas prices -- unless strictly loyal to one brand, are you going to pay $2.31 per gallon at one station when the station across the street is charging only $2.25 a gallon.
3) Immaculate staging. Buyers visiting your home likely will be looking at several other homes, often on the same trip. Make sure yours is the home they remember as being "well-maintained" and "clean" and not the home that's "cluttered" and "messy."
4) Good timing. This doesn't refer to timing the market, but timing your own needs. If you've bought another house, perhaps a new build, and have a move-in date of June, don't wait until May to put your home on the market. Start the exposure as early as you can. It's far better to shift a closing date or negotiate a lease-back than to find yourself accepting a far lower price because you're paying two mortgage payments.
Even in an unfavorable market, you can sell your home for a price that more than meets your needs. All it takes is planning and some professional guidance.
For additional information of what I do for my sellers, please visit:
http://www.daltonsazhomes.com/index.cgi?page=sellers
Until later ...
For more information about the Phoenix Arizona Real Estate market, visit me at www.DaltonsAzHomes.com! | 
