Homeowners who are considering selling their homes have a few steps to take before putting their house on the market, and the sooner they begin, the better.

Helen Van Orden, luxury collection specialist with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, said that every homeowner should begin by taking a good look at the mortgage on their current home to make sure selling is the right step financially.

“Find out how much you owe and what your interest rate is,” she said.

If a property owner is currently paying just 2.3 percent interest on a mortgage, but is looking at paying 8.2 percent in interest on a new home, it reduces their buying power, she said.

“You might want to consider rethinking,” she said. “Make sure it’s a wise move.”

Once the decision has been made to sell, the homeowner should interview at least two real estate agents before choosing one, said Van Orden. In the interviews, ask the agents how they would go about marketing the home.

“You want to know if it will only...