When listing a home for sale, sellers should make sure they really “come out of the gate running.”

The following are do’s and don’t’s for sellers when listing their house for sale to ensure the least amount of days on market and the best possible offer.

Don’t – Over price your home: Even in a sellers market, overpricing your home too much can lead to staying on market longer than the average Days on Market.

Based on national averages, if you’ve surpassed more than seven showings for your home and not received an offer, you are probably overpriced.

Do – Tone down any showy colors. Even if the red dining room wall seemed like a good idea 18 years ago, now’s a good time to freshen up your home’s color scheme utilizing neutral hues that appeal to the masses.

Don’t – Overlook the actively listed competition: First and foremost, sellers should always be careful to keep their competition in mind when deciding on a list price for their home.

Of course, sellers need to know what the recent comparable sales or settled properties are, but just as important is knowing the active competition.

Do – Get your car out of the front driveway. Cars lined up in the driveway can signify that your house isn’t big enough to store all of your belongings.

You should try to keep your front driveway free of cars so potential buyers feel welcome.

Don’t – Look at your house as your home anymore. Once sellers make the decision to list, they need to detach themselves emotionally and start to view the home as a “product” for sale.

To have the house in its best possible shape to present to buyers, sellers need to clean, de-clutter and make repairs to have the house in good working condition and in its most presentable and marketable shape.

Do – Declutter the yard. Store any distracting items such as kid’s toys, soccer goals, lawn ornaments, etc. anywhere other than the front yard.

Lauren Bunting is a Broker with Keller Williams Realty of Delmarva in Ocean City, Maryland.