Sellers in most markets want the same thing...the most money that a buyer is willing to pay for his property with as few repairs as possible.

Market conditions will determine how a home should be priced. Your agent can guide you in establishing a fair and realistic price for your home. But at the time of showing, your house is going to have to sell itself.

These 41 tips pinpoint specific items around the house that can be the key to a successful sale. Most require elbow grease only, while some may require signficant expense. Start with the items that require no or very little expense. Once you get started, the big ticket items may not seem so big as you begin to visualize your home SOLD!

1. Mow and edge lawn your lawn regularly. Be sure that your fence line, areas around your air conditioning units, your slab periphery, and any grassy areas are properly trimmed.

2. Prune and trim trees, shrubs, and ground covers.

3. Water regularly during the growing season.

4. Rake leaves, gather any fallen limbs, and immediately bundle for your next trash pick-up.

5. With desert landscaping, make sure that no underlying plastic can be seen and that rocks and sand are tidy. Remove any sprouting weeds or grass.

6. Replace dead or diseased plants and shrubs.

7. Cover flower beds and gardens with 1-4 inches of mulch to conserve moisture, reduce weed growth, and maintain uniform temperature.

8. Paint, repair, or replace an unsightly mailbox and post as needed.

9. Repaint or re-stain lawn furniture.

10. Discard old or broken lawn furniture, flower pots, hanging baskets, and debris from front and back yard.

11. Replace any missing fence planks or posts as needed.

12. Sweep walks, patios, decks, steps, and driveway.

13. Remove any autombile grease or oil from driveway or any paved area.

14. Derelict cars or ones being overhauled should not be visible from the street and preferably not present.

15. Recreational vehicles or boats should be behind a fence in the back.

16. Portable basketball goals should be removed from the front of the dwelling.

17. Spruce up front door area. Repair or replace a badly worn doorbell. Replace tarnished light fixure(s). Polish or replace tarnished or damaged door knobs. Place a new welcome mat at the front door.

18. All woodwork should be freshly and neatly painted, including the door if necessary.

19. Few things can do more for the salability of a house than fresh paint. Before beginning exterior paint, scrape or water-blast any peeling paint. If painting the exterior is unaffordable, begin collecting bids from contractors for painting the exterior. Having this information on hand at the time of an offer will minimze wasted time.

20. Repair gutters and downsprouts; replace wood showing dry rot or showing need of repair; wrought iron gating or bars should be scraped and painted, if needed.

21. Get your air conditioning system serviced. Nothing turns a buyer and his agent off more than going into a house with a malfunctioning air conditioning system. Correct improper drainage. Repair and paint where there may have been previous damage. Clean or paint air-vent covers.

22. Examine your windows objectively. Repair or replace any torn or bent screens. Remove if necessary. Replace any cracked or broken window panes. Clean windows inside and out - glass, frames, ledges, and sills.

23. Curtain, drapery, and blind rods and brackets should be securely affixed. All window treatments should be reasonably clean and should work smoothly.

24. As with the exterior, paint will pay your greatest dividend for the time and effort spent. If you know that you are not a neat painter, however, do not attempt to paint. A sloppy paint job will spell disaster for the presentation of your property.

25. Clean your carpeted areas. Steam cleaning is better than shampooing. If pet odors are present, prepare for the possibility of special treatment. Loose carpet should be restretched.

26. Repair or replace missing or damaged floor tiles. Clean as best possible and polish.

27. Remove ashes and soot from fireplace, clean the hearth, declutter you mantle.

28. Use 75watt, or higher, light bulbs to brighten rooms. Short of opening your window coverings entirely, open them just slightly...to let some light in.

29. Deodorize the entire house to remove unpleasant odors, such as mildew, smoke, and cooking smells. Wash dirty ashtrays daily and remove cigarette butts from the house daily. Use deodorizing plug-ins and air conditioner air vent filter deodorizers.

30. Since you'll be moving soon, start getting rid of the things you'll never need again. Box up things you won't need for several months. Don't commit to a garage sale. Take your useable discards to the local charity drop-off center.

31. Overstuffed rooms and closets give the impression of being smaller than they really are. If your closets are packed, buyers won't be able to visualize their stuff in the closets. Clean out 50 percent of the things in closets. Set aside no more that 10-15 sets of towels in your linen closet and only several sets of bed linen per bed. Thin out your clothes closets.

32. Pack up all those toiletries you don't regularly use and discard or put in storage. Storage under your vanity sink and linen closet should not reveal tons of toiletries.

33. Bath vanities, faucet hardware, mirrors, bathtub, and toilet should be clean at all times and sparkle. Declutter the vanity counter. Remove toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and such personal effects and thoroughly clean the counter surface.

34. Residents are seldom aware of the odors harbored by wet towels, washcloths, and soiled clothes. Replace all used towels with fresh, decorative ones before a showing. At night, pull out your regular towels. Keep all dirty laundry in appropriate wash areas and especially diaper pails.

35. Pay close attention to the kitchen. Many people are funny about where they eat. Declutter and neatly arrange food in the pantry. Clean the pantry shelving or and use shelf paper if needed. Paint if possible.

36. Clean the range, oven, exhaust hood filter, and burners drip pans. Replace drip pans, if needed, and clean after each meal.

37. Declutter under the sink and repair any flooring in need of repair. If you currently have pests, get rid of them! Call an exterminator. Do not have traps placed throughout your house, and especially not the kitchen. Declutter countertops. Remove all those notes and magnets off your refrigerator. Store all appliances from your countertops. Make sure you clean your coffee pot after each use. Clean all surfaces of your kitchen after each meal.

38. No edibles, such as bread, cookies, chips, and cooked foods, should be displayed on countertops. Properly store. Make sure no potatoes, onions, or fruit are going bad in the pantry or anywhere else.

39. Eliminate most of the trinkets, knick knacks, and keepsakes. When possible, store excess furniture that make your rooms look crowded so that rooms look open and inviting.

40. Garages are as important as the interior of the house. Rent a mini-warehouse for the duration and move all those items into it. An overflowing garage is a turn off and many buyers with 'high ticket' automobiles will pay a premium for a garage if they can visualize their car in it.

41. Depersonalize. It is important to remove most family photos. Buyers find it difficult to visualize their family in the home when your family is peering at them from every tabletop and wall. Photos and personal effects detract propective buyers by having them focus on your family and things rather than the house.

There are many inexpensive ways to enhance showability. This list can certainly be added to, but these 41 tips pinpoint are the most common problem areas. This list is extensive and it may not be practical to cover all these points, but do the best job possible. Just remember, the more you do to fix up, the better the chance of achieving a quick sale.