Here are some tricks of the trade to help you get the best price when selling your home:

The kitchen comes first. You’re not actually selling your house; you’re selling your kitchen – that’s how important it is. If you have a little money to spend, buy one fancy stainless steel appliance. Why one? Because when people see one high-end appliance, they think all the rest are expensive too and it updates the kitchen.

Light it up Maximize the light in your home. After location, good light is the one thing that every buyer cites that they want in a home. Take down the curtains, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do to make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.

Don’t over-upgrade Quick fixes before selling always pay off. Mammoth makeovers - not so much. You probably won’t get your money back if you do a huge improvement project before you put your house on the market. Instead, do updates that will pay off. Get a new fresh coat of paint on the walls. Clean the curtains or go buy some new ones. Replace door handles and cabinet hardware.

Half-empty cupboards Storage is something every buyer is looking for and can never have enough of. Take half the stuff out of your cupboards then neatly organize what’s left in there. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your cupboards and cabinets clean and tidy.

Conceal the critters! You might think a cuddly dog would warm the hearts of potential buyers, but you’d be wrong. Not everybody is an animal lover. Buyers don’t want to walk into your home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell the kitty litter box or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It may give buyers the impression that your house is not clean.

Take the home out of your house The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Get rid of a third of your stuff – put it in storage. This includes family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes. Consider hiring a home stager to maximize the full potential of your home. Staging simply means arranging your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space.

Always be ready to show Your house needs to be 'show-ready' at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. You have to be available whenever they want to come to see the place and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, keep the dishwasher cleaned out, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.

The first impression is the only impression No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s important to make people feel warm, welcome and safe as they approach the house.

Pick the right agent A secret sale killer is hiring the wrong agent. I constantly monitor listings, I know which properties are going on the market and I know the value of comparable properties in your neighbourhood. I have many tech-savvy tools to get your house sold.