Ask your real estate agent to hold an "agent's preview". The more agents who preview your house, the more showings you should get, assuming that your house is presentable and priced competitively. In a good market, between ten and fifteen agents should preview your house at the preview. In today's market, agents are the marketing key to selling your house quickly: They have access to the multiple listing service, and they can locate the most qualified buyers for your home.

Upon your approval, the real estate agent will usually place a For Sale sign in your front yard. (Note: Some estates and neighborhoods do not permit signs.) This sign often includes a box to hold sales sheets.

Every real estate office has its own style of sales sheet. The sheet is intended to provide a brief description of your house. It usually has a colored photograph of the exterior of your home and sometimes includes interior photographs of certain areas. Sales sheets become more elaborate as the price of the house increases. For privacy reasons, the price of the house is not always included on the sales sheet. A potential buyer can call the agent listed on the sales sheet to request the sale price of a home.

Understand your agent's terms. The term winterize has multiple meanings to real estate agents. Three winterizing procedures are performed to drain the pipes to prevent freezing and bursting of such pipes when the temperature drops below freezing in the winter.

Winterize can mean winterize your sprinkler system: "Turn off and drain the sprinkler system pipes for the winter." It can mean winterize your pool or hot tub: "Turn off and drain the pipes to the swimming pool or hot tub for the winter." Or it can mean winterize your house: "Turn off the water, drain, and fill the pipes with antifreeze in the house for the winter." It can also mean that your vacation home is heated in the cold winter months.

If your home is located in an area with a homeowners' association, a list of the amenities and monthly dues may also be included on the sales sheet. The list of amenities may read like this: "Gated, tree-lined community with sidewalks, two separate swimming pool areas, sports fields, basketball court, bicycle and running trails, children's playground equipment, picnic tables, gazebo, and maintenance all for only $139/month."

Your agent may ask you to review the sales sheet and photograph of your house before printing to ensure that you are satisfied with the sheet's appearance and content. If any information listed on the sales sheet is incorrect, promptly inform your agent so that a correction can be made before the sheet is printed. Under the remarks section, you may want to embellish the agent's sales sheet if you feel that additional details would be helpful to a potential buyer. But remember, space is limited on the sales sheet, so keep additional comments brief and to the point.

To avoid any misunderstandings or legal disputes, it's extremely important to list exclusions that is, items that will not remain with the residence. Examples of possible exclusions include: chandeliers, draperies, curtains and rods, refrigerator, washer and dryer, freestanding garage storage cabinets, outdoor play equipment, and outdoor decorative pots and statues.

Once you've approved the sales sheet and your agent has begun using it, check the sales sheet box frequently to make sure there are plenty of sheets inside. Call your agent promptly if the box needs to be refilled.