After you figure out what the range of prices you can get for your home you should then sit down with your realtor to discuss what you want for your home and what you need to get to your next dream home. Maybe to pay bills? Whatever it is. Now you need to discuss what it is that you have to do in order to get that price.  Deciding what to change, repair, or refresh is something your agent can help you evaluate. A fresh coat of paint inside  can automatically increase your home’s value. Even apartments that look clean and fresh can get as much as 10% more a month, just by a coat of fresh paint. So, if you have those cute markings on your wall, showing your kids height as they grew over the years… take a picture of it and then paint it over.  Maybe you’ve been talking about installing the transition piece between your dining room wood floors and the new kitchen tile floors.  You know the place you stub your toe at least once a month.  Install the transition before you go on the market.   Remember, Don’t invest a nickel until you KNOW you’ll  get a dime back… or a quarter.  Right?  Don’t risk a $5,000 remodel to try to get $5,000.  Walk through your home with your broker listening to what they point out and what may make a buyer shy away. And before you do any IMPROVEMENTS make sure you talk to your broker about how this will IMPROVE the sales price.  Up until now this has been your home, now start thinking of it as a house, one that you’re leaving and it is now the tool to get you to the next place.  If you can do that you will net the most you can for your home.   So to sum it up, once you know what you want to walk away with, price wise, you then go over what it is you have to do to get that, keeping in mind not to do anything that risks your money you will need to invest and timing on getting this all done.  Right now, prices are strong for sellers.  Both interest rates and housing inventory are low.  Contractors are very busy and YES I do have a list of good contractors to call but waiting several months to complete large projects may not be in your best interest. Do what it is you have to do to get your home sold and don’t worry about the rest.