Selling your home doesn’t have to be full of missteps and mistakes. Learn from these common mistakes and avoid problems from the moment you put up that For Sale sign!
Let’s Start With Four Don’Ts. Here Are Four Things Not to Do When You Put Your Home up for Sale:
1. Don’t Get Emotional
Maybe you’ve lived in your house for 25 years and raised your kids there. Maybe you’re moving for a reason that’s inherently emotional or difficult. Maybe you just feel the heightened stress of selling a home and let your emotions into the mix. Do your best to put your emotions on the shelf and be as pragmatic as possible about selling your home.
2. Don’t Set an Unrealistic Price
Pricing your home is one of the first, and most important, decisions you’ll make when listing your home for sale. If you get too caught up in the “what ifs,” you may set your sights too high and set an unrealistic price. This will mean your home sits on the market longer and can cost more money in the long-run.
3. Don’t Hide Major Problems
A good home inspector will find out all the issues with your home anyway. Not being forthcoming about known issues will slow the whole process down. You don’t want to have an offer on the table that doesn’t work out because you’ve failed to disclose something or because inspection uncovered something huge.
4. Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
There are numerous documents you’ll need to have in hand before you can list and sell your home. Don’t wait until the last minute to get your ducks in a row. Everything will go faster and smoother if you have everything you need.
Here Are Some Dos. Not Doing These Are Huge Mistakes That Home Sellers Make All of the Time:
5. Do Film Video Walk-Throughs
Especially as virtual home buying becomes increasingly popular, your home will get more views and interaction if you have video walk-throughs. Video tours can usually be filmed by someone who works with your real estate agent. These are compelling and add value to your listing.
6. Do Make Minor Repairs
If you’ve lived in your home a long time (or even if you haven’t), you may have learned to live with squeaky hinges or broken railing. Homebuyers will be turned off by these things, and it’s a lot cheaper to fix them yourself than to have negotiations about the deal.
7. Do Make Cosmetic Improvements
It may be hard to see your lived-in home objectively. But potential buyers will be the first to notice worn-out carpeting and scuffed walls. A little bit of paint, a little bit of carpet cleaning, a pressure wash on the driveway goes a long way.
8. Do Stage Your Home
Now that many buyers are checking you out virtually, it’s even more important that your home looks bright, light, and modern. It may be worth it to pay an expert stager or have a friend with a great eye come in and update your decor.
The Last Four Mistakes Many People Make Have to Do With Buyers and the Buying Process. Home Sellers Can Impact the Sale! Be Careful That You Don’t Make These Mistakes:
9. Be Careful About Negotiations
There are great things and ways to negotiate… and poor ones. You need to sit down with your real estate agent early in the process and determine your absolute bottom-line selling price and anything you are or are not willing to talk with a potential buyer about.
10. Be Careful About When You Sell
You may already know that selling during the winter months will get you a lower price for your home. There are ideal times to list your home. This may even extend to when online listings go live and when you alert the community.
11. Be Careful About Buyer Qualifications
A huge time-waste that home sellers sometimes experience is trying to work with unqualified buyers. While your real estate agent should have a great process for pre-approvals and proof of funds, be sure you are in the know about who is being let through your door.
12. Be Careful About Delays
Any number of things can derail your home sale. It’s super important that you don’t make impulsive decisions that could set you back several weeks. When in doubt, ask your real estate agent.
One of the biggest home-selling mistakes you can make is to NOT hire a real estate agent.
There is plenty of data that showcases that sellers who use real estate agentes end up with more money in their pockets.
