One of the biggest mistakes that a potential Home Seller makes is calling a Realtor when they “think” they are ready to put their home on the market. Actually the best time to call your Realtor is at least 6 months before your list date. Starting the beginning of August I begin to get calls from Homeowners who want to sell their homes next spring. 
These are the smart Sellers and eventually the ones who will get the highest prices for their homes.
There is a “buzz” among Realtors that it is no longer location or amenities that drive price, but condition. The current Homebuyers, the Millennials, do not want to lift a finger when they move in. Gone are the days when the past generation were fine with changing carpets, painting and remodeling to make the house feel like their own. This crop of Buyers does not want to invest the time, which is their greatest perceived asset. Personally, I remember buying my first home locally in 1981 without a working boiler and black and orange flocked butterfly wallpaper in the kitchen.
Sellers should budget $3,000 plus to ready their homes for market. Most budget closer to $10,000. The trick is to know where to spend the money. This is where the experiential knowledge of a Realtor will be of tremendous value. Number one rule is clean and clutter free. The home needs to feel homey without being sterile. It can take a year and multiple dumpsters just to accomplish this obvious step. Deferred maintenance issue come second. This category may include peeling paint, broken window seals and utilities that are past their life expectancy. Landscaping including decks, walkways and driveways and inexpensive fixups come in third. Finally are the things that are expectations in a home of this type need to be addressed. I recently told a homeowner with a 3500 sft. home that installing central AC was an expectation and would bring more than 100% return. Note I did not mention putting in a new kitchen or adding hard floors. Although great features, you may get a greater return on the dollar invested by just painting the cabinets and having the carpets cleaned. Many homeowners have watched way too much HGTV and feel they need to paint all of their walls gray.
Before you start preparing, call me to help you prioritize. I will also have lists of people who can help you in this preparation, from mold remediation to dumpsters to plumbers and handymen. This all takes time so start now for the Spring Market.