Im not worried, between my mom, and my neighbor the house will be monitored.
You might not know if the power goes out, though. (Once we had gophers chew through the underground line and knock our power out while we were on vacation, so it was just our house!)
As a buyer, I’ve looked at several FSBO houses, and it was always rather uncomfortable. In one case the owner was talking about refinishing the floors if the house didn’t sell right away…what? Were we being asked the pre- or post-refinished price? Was there a difference? The house was also in a coastal location that might have precluded even a modest addition to the kitchen. A realtor presumably would have been ready with that information.
Another consideration is homeowner’s insurance. We fudge factored it- we bought our current house in Florida before our Wisconsin house sold (on the market over two years, tough market) and waited a couple of months to move so we could conveniently attend a family wedding. The WI house did sell - offers a week after we moved. We never quite told the insurance agents the house would be empty, the old one’s policy ran for awhile so we just did nothing there. Rates for unoccupied houses are much higher.
Put the house on the market as soon as you are willing to leave it. No sense trying to time the market. Motivated buyers buy in the off season. People contemplating moving will join the spring rush.
Update, I decided to go with a realtor. She includes staging as part of her services, so hopefully the house sells quickly. The house directly across the street was listed last week, although it is a 5 bedroom. I am hoping it moves quickly. Currently I am pricing carpet. I received a quote of $4900 for 1400 sq feet, that seems high to me. Anyone buy carpet lately?
I recommend asking your realtor for the carpet guy she uses. We used all of our realtor’s recommended service providers. Painters, carpet guys, floor refinishing guys, handyman. We used our own tile guy and we got the chimney guy from a neighbor. For carpeting upstairs, we paid a bit less than $2000 for three good-sized bedrooms, maybe about 1000 sq feet.
That sounds high offhand to me as well. Be sure to get a high quality pad, whatever you do. It can really make your carpet feel great. Be sure to get a price that includes installation. Maybe your realtor can recommend carpet installers and get you some good bids to consider. They do more volume.
@BerneseMtnMom this is for four bedrooms, living room, dining room, basement, and family room.
Do the math. It’s $3.50 per square foot. That sounds reasonable to me.
Are you sure you want to put new carpet in before selling it? What if the buyers want wood floors and then just rip the new carpet out as soon as they buy it? Maybe the realtor has an idea about what buyers in your neighborhood prefer?
^coming from someone watching “house hunters” on tv and the first thing people seem to say is “that carpet needs to go”
I sort of assumed that the OP was operating on the realtor’s recommendation.
I’d be inclined to get the cheapest decent-looking carpet for the bedrooms and install wood everywhere else. Actually, I would just put wood throughout, but I’m assuming carpeting the BRs would be cheaper.
I wouldn’t spend more to change to wood. Depending on location some prefer the feel of carpet in bedrooms. I also dislike the changing to new flooring unless the old looks really bad. I would not want cheap carpet or wood and would not want to put up with it or have to change it.
Would a definite flooring allowance be appropriate in your area? Your realtor is the best one to advise on that- quality/type of flooring needed to sell.
The upstairs carpet is bad so it definitely needs to be replaced. I may talk to her about the LR/DR.
If you decide to get new flooring, be consistent. New flooring upstairs and new flooring downstairs (does not have to be the same kind of carpet in both locations) or neither. I think $3.50 SFT is reasonable for decent carpet with pad, installed.
I was thinking about a flooring allowance also, but of course many people are put off by anything that needs to be done before they move in, and it forfeits having the rooms look clean and neat.
As a buyer, I would prefer it, because my bid on the house would automatically include the cost of ripping out all of the carpeting and putting in wood floors. 
OP, is this by any chance a house where carpet was installed over the original wood floors? Because then you could just remove all of it and get the floor refinished.
@Consolation No luck, no original wood floors under the carpet. I am not budging on the price too much, we just installed a new HVAC 2016, new driveway 2015, new roof and two bathrooms 2014. Actually, I am not a happy camper that we have to move as the house is just now to where we like it, we are young empty nesters, and we love our neighborhood.
I’m sorry you have to move when you don’t want to. 
Sounds like new carpet throughout the upstairs at least is probably called for, and will make the sale much easier.
Update: I listed my house yesterday, got an offer yesterday. >:D<
CONGRATS, @partyof5! <:-P