If you're selling your home in a cooling real estate market, here are some steps that you can take to prepare your home for a quick sale without lowering your price.

1. Profile your perfect home buyer or "Target Market." Don't market your home to an investor if you want to get top dollar! Think about the people who own homes and live in your neighborhood. Are they ordinary folks or doctors and lawyers? Are the new home owners first-time home buyers or move-up buyers?

2. Get to know your competition. Go look at other homes nearby to see what the competition offers. Make yourself a spreadsheet to list features and comparables to your home.

3. Make a plan of action to sell your home. List changes that need to be made to compete with the other homes and then add changes that will make your home stand out. You need to learn how to use colors and building material that attract your target buyer. For instance, if you're selling to first-time home buyers, they're not as picky and generally prefer primary colors. More sophisticated buyers expect perfection and prefer complex colors.

4. Use Design Psychology strategies to sell. Learn how to get the designer look on a dime. Don't spend money on improvements that won't pay you back. For instance, you don't have to completely remodel your kitchen but a fresh coat of paint, which costs about $20, and a new faucet for under $100 can add thousands to your sale.

5. Set your price to compete with the other homes your buyers will choose from. Don't let real estate agents pressure you to lower your sales price. It only takes one buyer to fall in love with your home.

6. Make a sales flyer that really works. Don't be generic with the number one sales tool. Marketing Psychology helps you copy Internet marketers proven strategies. List the benefits to the home buyer, not your home's features.

7. Use home staging methods to show your home. Go beyond the typical home staging and create a buyer's fantasy. Stage you home with activities that connect to your target buyers.

No matter what the real estate market does this year, you must protect your equity. Don't just put up the "for sale" sign and hope for the best. Prepare your home for a top-dollar sale.

Copyright 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher