Imagine you've found the perfect home. You love it. You've made an offer that's been accepted. So far so good! The only catch? You've wisely made the offer conditional on passing a professional home inspection.

What happens if that home inspection reveals a major issue?

First, you should know that, depending on the age of the property, a home inspection will typically turn up at least a few areas of concern. The inspector might find loose insulation in the attic that is thinning out or roofing shingles that will need replacing in two or three years.

Issues like those are not usually deal-breakers.

However, if the home inspector finds a major issue — such as old wiring that's worn and presents a safety concern — then you're facing a potentially high cost of repair should the deal go through.

In a situation like that, as your real estate agent, I will address the issue with the seller, usually through the seller's agent. Since neither of you will want to lose the deal, the seller often agrees to get the repair done at his own expense or, have some or all of the estimated repair cost deducted from the sale price.

Will the deal be in jeopardy? Usually not. In most cases, if you have a real estate agent like me working in your best interests, it all works out.

For some people, the thought of listing their home for sale is stressful. They worry about all the things they have to do — and all the things that might go wrong.

Luckily, it doesn't have to be that way. Here are some tips for making your home sale go smoothly:

     · Give yourself time to prepare. If you're thinking of selling six months from now, start preparing your property now.             Do any necessary staging, and get it looking its best. Avoid doing these tasks at the last minute.

     · Set the right price. Pricing your property too high will likely result in few, if any, buyers coming to see it. You might           end up having to lower your price later, causing your home to linger even longer on the market. That's stress you             don't need!

     · Have a flexible viewing schedule. If you make it too difficult for buyers to see your property, they might lose interest         or simply choose to buy another home. Be as flexible as possible when a buyer wants to view your property.

     · Plan get-away activities. When a buyer comes for a scheduled viewing, don't be home. Instead, plan some fun               activities for your family. Think: playground, shopping, cycling, the zoo, etc.

     · Accept the ups and downs. Prospective buyers might say they love your home and plan to make an offer. Then               you don't hear from them again! It happens! Accept the inevitable ups and downs of selling your home.

     · Get help with repairs. You'll probably have things that need to be fixed around the home, like a dripping faucet that         needs repair or a room that needs painting. If possible, hire a professional to do some of that work.

     · Finally, work with a great real estate agent. That will make the biggest difference in ensuring your move goes                   smoothly and stress-free.

Looking for a real estate agent like that? Call me!