When you're selling your home, you can rely on your real estate agent for a lot of help and advice throughout the process. You may think you know what someone wants when they are ready to buy a house, but be sure to ask for help when you need it. You can also empower yourself to be more effective as a home seller by taking actions to make things more pleasant and appealing for potential buyers. Consider these four summer real estate resolutions.

Resolution #1: Optimize the Curb Appeal of Your Home

Spend time improving your front yard and overall curb appeal of your home this summer. Consider planting bushes and improving the overall landscaping of your yard. It's a wise and fairly painless investment of your time and energy. It's likely to pay off in a big way, too. Having better curb appeal can increase the price you get for your home by as much as 17 percent.

Resolution #2: Get Professional Listing Photos Made

You need high-quality photographs to share online and in print ads when listing your home for sale. Although you may be tempted to whip out your cell phone and photograph your home on a sunny day, amateur photos just won't cut it. Enlist the help of a professional photographer who has experience with taking listing photos. You will be amazed at what a difference it makes.

Resolution #3: Fix What's Broken in and on Your Home

This is a strong resolution, and it may be easy or difficult depending on how much is wrong with your house. Before you list your home for sale, strongly consider fixing what's broken. Yes, some home sellers list their house for sale "as is" with lots of flaws, but it's a good idea to fix things that are obviously wrong and broken about your house. Some home buyers will try to offer far less money for a home that needs improvements.

Resolution #4: Commit to Being Open to Negotiation

It's good to know what your home is worth and the lowest price you're comfortable receiving for it. However, don't give in to the temptation to push for a top dollar amount that is not fair. Home sellers who are set on receiving a very high price may turn off buyers who assume that it's a matter of greed. When you're open to negotiation instead, you set the scene for a pleasant interaction where both you and the home buyer feel that you are being treated fairly.

Finally, keep in mind that selling your home is more of an art than a science. Nobody can offer you any guarantees when it comes to selling your house within a certain time frame, but you can be a proactive home seller by making the above resolutions. When in doubt, reach out to your real estate agent for guidance and assistance at any point in the home selling process.