If you plan to sell your home soon, especially in this tough economy, you want to take steps to get the highest price for your home. It’s your money. Maximize it! These Five Easy Steps will insure you get the most for that home!

Tip #1: Improve Overall Condition

The first thing is to make sure the home is in good shape…curbside. That means you take the time to make the home “presentable”. Paint is cheap and REALLY makes a difference. So, paint the exterior or just the trim. Paint the front door and the garage door, too. Plant colorful flowers, trim those trees and bushes and get the grass looking its best.

Tip #2: Get Good Exposure for your Home

Let’s face it – no one is ever going to buy your property if they don’t know it is on the market. To that same end, you will not be able to enjoy top dollar for your home unless you reach the right potential buyers. The simple truth is that, the more people who see your home, the greater the chances will be of getting the price you are after. Therefore, it is important to develop a solid marketing plan that includes ample local and national advertising.

Tip #3: Pick the Right Time to Sell

Sell in a seller’s market – duh! That’s not going to happen any time soon. But, you can maximize your position by selling in the busy real estate season…Spring through early Fall. There are more buyers in the market during those months. Also, improve your position by selling during times of lowest interest rates and terms. When the lending conditions improve the number of qualified buyers in your price range increases. The more of them, the merrier for you!

Tip #4: Don’t Delay, Sell Today

Price and market the home to sell quickly. It’s the only smart strategy in a declining market. In fact, agents and buyers view homes that linger on the market longer than average as “stale”. That is, they immediately wonder why others have not purchased the home and they often do not even tour. If you do “miss the mark” on price or advertising, and the home remains on the market longer than average, you may want to take it off the market for a time and start over with a fresh price and marketing effort.

Tip #5: Choose a Reasonable Price

Resist the temptation to overprice. It’s a winning strategy in an expanding market but it’s the kiss of death in a declining or flat one. First of all, you will not get the number of viewers online and live tours that you want. Internet auto-searches are entered by price-range and you’ll simply miss out on contacting some appropriate buyers if you price it higher than is reasonable.

Getting the top dollar on your home sale is within reach. It’s not a secret formula and it’s certainly not just luck. These Five Steps will help you succeed.

About the Author: John Allen represents buyers and sellers of fine Sarasota real estate, including condos. Also, special thanks to Yorba Linda Homes for Sale.

Are you wound up in a tight knot and need to be released? Take a trip to Siesta Key off the coast of Sarasota, Florida. You will fall in love with the beauty, charm and relaxed lifestyle. This eight mile long island oasis is filled with fun, sunshine and gorgeous beaches. After a week or two here and you may never want to leave. Here are five exciting things to do on Siesta Key.

1) Enjoy the beaches – This is pretty much what Siesta Key is known for. The beaches here are consistently ranked as one of the best in the country. You will appreciate the beauty of this spectacular place. Do you enjoy long walks on the beach? You can walk for several miles along Siesta and Crescent beaches. The waters of the Gulf of Mexico are warm and soothing. Taking a dip in the water will refresh you and help you unwind those knots.

2) Siesta Key village – Are you looking to put your party hat on? There are several fun spots to enjoy a cold one with your friends and family. Go the Daquiri Deck for some outdoor eating and drinking. Gilligans is another fun place to spend time with friends. Don’t worry if you are not much of a drinker as this is very family friendly environment as well.

3) Parasailing – This is where you are attached to a parasail and pulled by a boat. You will get hundreds of feet in the air to get a bird eye view of Siesta Key. This is one of those life experiences that you will never forget. This is a very exciting experience and sure to get your blood pumping with adrenaline.

4) Snorkeling – This is a good place to good snorkeling as the visibility can be very good. You and your family can spend an entire day swimming up and down the beaches looking at marine life. You never know what you might see.

5) Fishing – Do you enjoy hooking into and fighting a fish? You can do that on Siesta Key. Grab a rod and reel and fish off the beach or rent a boat or hire a captain. There are plenty of spots to fish in the Gulf of Mexico or in the Sarasota bay. If you visit in the summer time you might hook into a nice tarpon.

Visit Siesta Key, Florida for a fun filled vacation. In addition to these 5 things there are a variety of exciting things to do on this island paradise. However, if the only thing you want to do is sit in a beach chair and relax you can do that as well.

Marc Rasmussen sells Siesta Key Real Estate