Sometimes a fast home sale becomes the priority -- and for good reason.

Maybe you've already moved out and would rather not keep making a mortgage payment on a home you no longer live in. Perhaps you're relocating and need to sell quickly so you can move forward with buying a new home elsewhere. Or maybe you've just had tenants move out of your rental property, and with no rental income to offset the mortgage, holding onto the property no longer makes sense.

Whatever the reason, some sellers tell me they are focused on a speedy sale -- and that's perfectly reasonable. But if speed is the goal, we need to make sure our pricing and marketing plans will support that goal.

Preparing your home well for the market and ensuring it's marketed thoroughly and professionally are both important steps toward a speedy sale. But one of the most important factors -- is pricing.

If recent comparable sales in your neighborhood have been around $300K, a price of $295K, $299K, or even $305K could make sense for your home. But pricing it at $325K? That's probably not going to help you achieve that faster than normal sale.

Likewise, if similar homes have recently sold around $210K, then pricing yours at $205K, $209K, or $215K keeps you in the right range. Pricing at $230K may only lead to a longer time on the market -- the opposite of what you said you wanted.

Bottom line -- if selling quickly is truly the priority, then pricing your home appropriately from the start is essential. The right price, combined with good preparation and effective marketing, will give us the best chance of achieving your goal.