With mortgage rates at all-time lows and people spending more time at home, there’s never been a better time to sell it house. This is because the aforementioned factors are playing a huge role in the increased demand for single-family homes. Some markets are so hot that buyers are waiving home inspections in order to make their offers more competitive or are even offering much higher than the asking price in order to have the offer get considered.

With homes in such high demand, if you’re looking to sell yours, 2021 is definitely the time to do it. That being said, just because houses are selling faster than ever doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed a sale once you list. There are a lot of factors that go into making your home attractive to potential buyers, all of which should be taken care of prior to you putting yours on the market. Read on for a few tips and tricks to keep in mind as you prepare your home to be listed if you really want to get top dollar for your property.

Work with a real estate agent you trust.

One of the most important tips on this list is to use a real estate agent who you’re confident will go above and beyond when it comes to helping you as seller. From possessing knowledge about comparative market values for other home listings to understanding how to stage an open house, an experienced realtor or real estate agent is absolutely worth the commission.

While you might have a friend or family member who’s sold some houses before, the professional service you get from a true pro is hard to beat, so do some research before picking your seller’s agent.

Fix up any obvious problems before you list your property.

It’s important that your home is fixed up to the best of your ability prior to listing it on the market. A good way to get a to-do list of things to fix is to have an inspector come and take a look at your home. You can expect licensed technicians to be able to identify and repair any problems that they might discover, and this is helpful since most buyers will have a home inspection as part of their contingent offer, too.

If your appliances aren’t top-of-the-line, that’s totally okay, but it’s worth having an appliance repair service come and service your washer, refrigerator, dishwasher, HVAC, or dryer so that you know they’re working well. For example, if you live in Hawaii, a local option is generally best when it comes to getting the best deal on these sorts of repairs. Just head to your favorite online search engine and enter “appliance repair in Honolulu” to find a technician who can help give you a pro’s onsite estimate and quality services.

Boost your curb appeal with landscaping or outdoor plants.

Photos make a big difference when it comes to getting potential buyers to visit your property. As such, it’s always a good idea to hire a pro photographer rather than take pictures with your iPhone if you want to make a good impression.

Another way to make a good impression is to focus on some landscaping tasks, like putting some nice outdoor plants in front of your home to help boost curb appeal. Even having a shrub or two in front of your home can make it look more cared for, so see what you may be able to do—even with simple container plants—in order to make your exterior photos pop, too!

Clearly, listing your home for sale involves more work than just calling a real estate agent. That being said, with the market being so competitive, it’s not out of the ordinary for you to have a potential buyer interested in making an offer on your home only a few hours after it’s been listed, even if it’s the winter!

Keep the above ideas in mind regarding the usefulness of boosting your curb appeal with outdoor plants, the importance of hosting open houses, and even the value of appliance repair and you’ll be well on your way to attracting dozens of buyers and making a sale.