How to Sell a House

J and I went browsing this weekend for a new house and based upon what we witnessed, we would like to offer the following suggestions for anyone out there who may be wondering why their house has been on the market for a long time:

1. Your selling agent has called and told you when we will be coming by. Take the hint and LEAVE. I do not want to be opening your closet while you're standing there.
2. If you insist on sticking around while people browse through your house, please wait until we are gone before taking that HUGE SMELLY DUMP THAT STINKS UP THE ENTIRE TOP FLOOR. You know, I may have wanted to see that bathroom, or any part of the upstairs for that matter.
3. If you choose to vacate the house, take all your children with you, even if you think your 3-year-old will sleep through an avalanche. We are homebuyers (and strangers!), not babysitters. Don't make me call Child Welfare.
4. Do not lie in the realtor's description of the property. If your house hasn't been recently painted, WE WILL KNOW when we show up and there are dirt smudges all over the walls. And we will wonder what else you lied about.
5. It helps if the house looks as though it's been cleaned sometime in the last 5 years.
6. If you have 3 dogs and 2 cats, please stop kidding yourself with that puny little air freshner. YOUR HOUSE STINKS. Have your pets and your carpets professionally cleaned. And wipe WHATEVER THAT IS off the wall.
7. You may think that despite the fact that you have removed all the furniture from the house, the pair of sandals on the porch give it a "homey" feeling. The dead bird in the shoe does NOT, however, support your cause.
8. If your weeds are taller than your trees, you might be a ... turnoff.
9. Please refrain from cooking overly oderous ethnic meals within 24 hours before showing your house. I'm sure the food tasted great at the time, but the stale after-smells make us wonder what died in your kitchen.
10. If you have a dog that is not fully potty trained, please do not leave it roaming free around the house while you're away. Yes, puppies are cute. But we're not buying the puppy, and we're certainly not buying the carpet he's currently tracking poop all over.