If I had to pick the #1 home selling tip, it would have to be this one. This may seem like odd advice, but the number #1 house selling secret is really taken from how professional, large scale home builders prepare new homes for sale.

If there is a new home tract near you, stop by for a quick look. It doesn't matter what kind of track it is, big homes, small homes, or condos. What you will find are some wonderfully (but sparsely) furnished homes that anyone could live in -- with the emphasis on "anyone." The homes are anonymous. There might be a baseball glove in the "boy's" room, but no family photos on the walls. What you will find is a "personality" that fits the home builder's target buyer - but you will not find a person.

You might say that home builders can do no more than to dress up the house a bit to fill empty space, but you would be missing what builders and real estate professionals have known for years.

The reason you want to make your home "anonymous" is because you want buyers to view it as their own home. When a potential home buyer sees your family photos hanging on the wall, it puts your own brand on the home and momentarily distracts their need to "try on" your house to see if it fits.

So here is the advice. You're moving out anyway, so put away family photos, sports trophies, collectible items, knick-knacks, and souvenirs. Put them in a box. Rent a storage area for a few months and put the box in the storage unit.

Do not just put the box in the attic, garage or a closet. Part of preparing a house for sale is to remove "clutter," and that is the next step in preparing your house for sale.