If you’re thinking about selling your home — whether you’ve outgrown the space, are ready to downsize, or it’s simply the right time — this guide is for you. Selling a home is a big decision, and my goal is to help you feel prepared, confident, and ready to get top dollar in today’s market.

Get Into the Right Mindset

Before you start cleaning or updating anything, you need to shift your mindset.
Your home is no longer your home — it’s now a showpiece for potential buyers. That can be emotional, but it’s a necessary step.


Start by:

  • Decluttering every room. Less is more when buyers walk through.
  • Painting over bold accent walls that might distract from the home’s features.
  • Understanding your finances — know how much you owe, what equity you have, and what you’ll walk away with after the sale.

Once your mindset and numbers are clear, you’re ready to move on.

2. Prep the Home (Small Changes, Big Impact)

You don’t need a full remodel to make your home shine.
Simple updates can make a huge difference in how buyers perceive value.


My number one tip? Paint your home a neutral color.
You might love that orange office wall, but buyers often see it as a project. Most buyers want move-in ready homes — not something that needs updating the first week they move in. A fresh, neutral coat of paint helps your home appeal to a wider audience and makes rooms look larger and brighter.

3. Get a Professional Walkthrough

Once your home is decluttered and refreshed, I’ll come by for a walkthrough.
This allows me to assess your updates, evaluate your home’s value, and make final recommendations to maximize your return.

Here’s a quick example:

I recently met with a seller who had several colorful accent walls. I suggested repainting them for a few hundred dollars. They chose not to — and when offers came in, they were below list price. Buyers had mentally subtracted the cost to repaint.


It’s small details like that that can cost thousands if overlooked — and that’s exactly why having a trusted agent matters.

4. Strategic Marketing That Works

Once we’re ready to list, marketing becomes key — and this is where I stand apart.

I’m a Zillow Partner, which gives you access to a Zillow Showcase Listing — premium placement on Zillow, where over 200 million home searches happen every month. This showcase feature is included with all my listings.


Beyond Zillow, I’m also one of only 50 agents in Arizona with access to ABC15’s Real Estate Essentials, a TV show dedicated to local real estate that airs every Sunday at 4 PM.


Your listing can appear there, on Hulu, and even on my Roku channel — dramatically expanding the number of eyes on your home.

5. Communication and Results You Can Trust

I believe communication is everything.
You’ll receive weekly updates from me — no guessing, no wondering what’s happening with your listing.

And when we strategically price your home to be the next one sold, we make it happen.
Even in a market where homes are taking 90–120 days to sell, my listings often go under contract within the first week — because of the right pricing strategy and aggressive marketing.

Just because it’s a buyer’s market doesn’t mean your home can’t be the next one sold.

Let’s Get You Moving

If you’re ready to sell your East Valley home, I’d love to help you maximize your return and move into the next phase of your life — whether that’s upgrading, downsizing, or relocating entirely.

I’d love to help you find your perfect home. Contact me today

đź“ž Call me, Melissa Bailey, your East Valley real estate expert,
and let’s make your home the next success story.