This is the key to achieving full value. Homes that sit on the market for long periods of time lose their appeal and sellers are eventually forced to lower their initial asking prices anyway.

In many cases, sellers are eventually selling their homes for a lot less than what they would have received if the home was priced correctly at the start.

It is very difficult to accurately value your property without having the specific area knowledge, real estate experience and market savvy to set a realistic asking price. Working with a real estate agent will ensure that the asking price is correct from the outset.

Listing your home with an agent also means that you will have access to the agent's marketing power, along with access to their network and connections.

Speak to your chosen real estate professional to agree on what advertising platforms and marketing strategies will be used to find a buyer for your home.

An offer to purchase (OTP) is a legally binding agreement that lays out the terms and conditions of the property transaction between the buyer and seller. As with any contract, an OTP serves to protect the parties involved in the transaction and ensure that nothing is left to interpretation.

Once the OTP has been concluded and signed by each party, it becomes the deed of sale on the property. Don't be scared to ask questions and ensure that you understand what you are signing.

The move-in date will depend on the time it will take to register and transfer the property into the buyer's name before agreeing upon a moving date.

This process, which includes registering for the new owner's bond, cancelling the previous owner's bond, and registering the sale at the Deeds Office, can take anywhere around three months.

The move-in date is usually included in the OTP, but can be changed (if both parties agree to it) depending on how quickly the transfer process takes.