First Impressions Are Extremely Important!
If plants are overgrowing in front of your walkway or if other exterior conditions detract from your condo's curb appeal, let your HOA management company know that you are selling and ask them to fix these things quickly. Most are very good about complying. The curb appeal of your condo or townhome is just as important as the curb appeal of a detached house. You want to make your place as inviting as possible for buyers to come in!

Pre-escrows Can Speed Closing
Ask your real estate agent to open a “pre-escrow” for you. Many will not think of doing this on their own. The biggest time delay I see over and over again in having buyers remove their contingencies are late HOA documents (CC&R's, meeting minutes, by-laws). HOA management companies are often very backed up in getting these documents to you once requested and you lose precious time. I normally order HOA documents as part of a pre-escrow as soon as I take the listing so that they are available for buyer review as soon as you sign that purchase offer!

Disclose All HOA Fees Up Front
Let your agent know if you are in a master plan community. Many homeowner associations are. For example, the Madrid complex is also under the master plan of La Jolla Colony. You will know if you are because you are probably getting two HOA bills monthly or quarterly. Forgetting about that top layer HOA could cause big delays in closing escrow at the last minute.

Check Prices In Comparable Areas
As for setting the price, looking at what has sold and is on the market in your condo complex is very smart. That is a big part of the process. Did you realize that looking at what comparables in nearby areas sold for is necessary too? I check comparables in other complexes in the area, sometimes even crossing zip codes. Why? Because buyers are also looking in these other areas for condos that meet their needs. We need to set the price that is most attractive to the typical buyer.

READY, SET SHOW!
Just like any other showroom, your home needs to be in near perfect condition everyday! This is difficult and I understand, especially when you have children or pets. But, a home remaining unsold on the market is more trouble than keeping it tidy. Setting the stage and mood really do help to sell a house: