3 Common Seller Mistakes to Avoid
There are three common mistakes first time sellers tend to make that can not only keep your house on the market longer, but even completely detract from the potential to sell your home at all. Here are three mistakes you want to avoid when selling your home:
#1. “I don’t need an agent”
It is not uncommon for first time sellers, or even those who have been through the selling process before, to feel they are more than capable of selling their own home. This is often with the belief they will get more money for their home as they avoid any associated costs with using an agent. Unfortunately, when you are working without an agent, you are going to miss out on some very important services, not to mention discover some unexpected costs including:
Knowledge of the current market and what price your home should be listed for
Strong negotiation skills to get you the best price
Professional strategy that will not allow personal feelings to get in the way of a very good offer
Ability to look at required home improvements that need attention to sell your home with an objective eye
A budget to market your listing to get the best exposure
Contacts with fellow agents to help find buyers
#2. “My house is worth more”
It is natural to want to list your home for the highest price possible. In fact, often sellers make the mistake of thinking they have to go higher to save room for negotiation. This approach will scare potential buyers away who feel a lower offer will be rejected. Even worse, your house will end up sitting on the market longer, which makes potential buyers become suspicious that there might be something wrong with your home.
A real estate agent will help you understand the current market, show you current listing prices in your area and the average selling price. This will bring in more people to view your home and in turn help to sell it faster.
#3. “My house looks great”
It takes more effort than you think to get your home ready for viewings. It’s not just a matter of straightening, or even a thorough cleaning. You need to be able to see your house from a buyer’s eyes and that is hard to do with such an emotional connection to your home. A real estate agent will provide insight into what you need to do to add mass appeal to your home, whether it is paring down on furniture, a coat of fresh paint, or going all out to hire a staging expert. Your home will have the added curb appeal and presentation required to impress.
Email me for more information about how to sell your home.
