Looking to sell? Help is right here! Before you put your house or condo on the market, read Corbett's latest well-written book, Ready, Set, Sold!. Don't be turned off by the cutesy title. This is a serious book about the techniques Corbett used to profit from selling 33 of his houses for top dollar. In addition to being a TV actor and host of Extra's Mansions and Millionaires, Corbett knows how to maximize profits, whether selling his personal residence or a house he bought to fix and flip.

In his first superb book, Find it, Fix it, Flip it!, Corbett shared his strategies for locating and profitably upgrading houses, often creating entirely new persona or lifestyles for the residences. In this new book the author concentrates on getting ready to sell the house you already own and maximizing its profit in good times or bad. The book explains how to transform an ordinary house into one that a buyer absolutely must have. Corbett does not advise radical renovations before selling a house. Instead, he suggests modest-cost techniques, such as resurfacing kitchen cabinets rather than replacing them. Along the way, he provides practical advice, such as hiring a painting company rather than a one-man operation if you want the fix-up work to be completed in 30 days or less.

A huge factor in the Corbett formula is, after the house has been painted and fixed up, to "stage" it. That means clean it thoroughly of personal items, such as removing photos and memorabilia. Then make the home look inviting and up-to-date, usually by removing furniture and sometimes bringing in rented furnishings to make it seem more livable and spacious.

When it comes to hiring a real-estate agent to market the house, Corbett has only one opinion: hire the best agent in the vicinity. He says the current home marketplace is not hospitable to a "for sale by owner". To save a mere 3 percent (because there will usually be a buyer's agent expecting a 3 percent sales commission even if you sell by owner), the author says it's not worth the risk and delay of selling alone.

Written from the perspective of an experienced home seller, this is one of the most practical "how to sell a home" books available. Throughout the book, Corbett offers inexpensive tips to make a house or condo up-to-date so it will command buyer and agent attention, as well as draw a top-dollar sales offer.

©2007 Michael Corbett (P)2010 Michael Corbett