A real estate transaction can be complicated. I recommend the following best practices to my buyers who want to make the process as seamless as possible.Here are a few tips to make your home more attractive to a potential buyer:Reduce clutterClean out closets, pick up clutter, and pare down whats inside. That goes for those treasured family photos and mementos, too. The reason? Besides adding a spacious feel to the home, pared-down surroundings can help potential buyers better envision themselves and their family photos in the house.Pack away items and special collections usually displayed in cabinets and hutches, and move a few pieces of furniture out of the house. This will help buyers to better see where their furniture might go in the house.Dont forget to keep the house clean every minute its on the market. This takes great effort, but the buyer may need to see it in the next five minutes, and youll need to be prepared.Tone down your creativitySo, you like your house to say something about your personality. Well, its time to tone it down. Go buy some plain-vanilla paint to cover those red-and-purple walls in your boudoiritll make a difference when youre trying to sell your home. Many buyers cant see your Picasso genius (and just cant get past the splatter-paint wall in the living room) to visualize colors theyre more comfortable with.If youve got an Italian fresco on a living room wall that stops people in their tracks, they may lose sight of the rest of the homes wonderful features. If youre resistant to do anything about it, ask someone you trust to give you an independent view of your home. Better yet, ask your REALTOR or an appraiser if the house looks cluttered or if any colors are too bright. Some may see bright colors as gaudy. Listen to their answers and take their advice.By paring down, organizing, and carefully sorting your possessions, youre ensuring that your home will appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers. Remember to remove about half of the items stored in closets and cabinets and toss or give away things you dont use. Not only will de-cluttering and cleaning help to sell your house quickly, youll be ahead of the game when it comes to packing up and moving to your new location.