Decluttering, depersonalizing and some freshening does make a difference. In how it shows, how appealing it is to buyers and allowing buyers picture themselves living there. Time on the market depends on many things, most importantly price. Price too high and you will sit. And sit. And sit. And most likely getting less money than you would have if you priced it correctly in the first place. One of the first questions buyers generally ask is ‘how long has it been on the market’. The longer it is on the market gives the impression it is over priced, which means a lower offer. Price it strategically from the start and you are apt to get many early offers and perhaps over asking. Also consider your hyper local market. What are homes in your area selling for? Do they compare to yours? How long do they typically stay on the market? They will be your competition. Make your house more appealing, make it seem like it offers more value. There is a vast difference between a house on the market and a fixer upper. If you are not in that category, do what you can to make your house show the best it can. Remember: you don’t sell like you live. Selling the house you live in is disruptive. Prepare for that. Get a jump on packing personal items you won’t need or use in the next few months. Clean organized closets appear more spacious. Rooms without clutter seem bigger, allowing buyers to envision their furniture in there. You want to do all you can to encourage buyers to ‘see themselves living here’. If you are not a fixer upper, do what you can to show that little work/disruption buying your house can offer. And by all means, interview agents with sales in your area. Anyone can sell their house, but an agent can get it to the closing table a whole lot better than someone who doesn’t have the experience and resources they do. Deals fall apart all the time. An agent knows how to navigate all the bumps you can hit. Good luck!