Biggest Mistakes When Selling A House
Biggest Mistakes When Selling A House
Selling your house that you have lived in for so many years and have an emotional connection with can be a challenge. It is very common especially in first-time sellers to make some rookie mistakes while selling their home that lead to disappointment, stress and, more importantly, a heavy dent on their home price. Be aware of the biggest mistakes when selling a house and how to avoid these mistakes to get top dollar for your property.
NOT PRICING YOUR HOME CORRECTLY
It is very easy to fall into the trap of listing an unrealistically high price for your house if you are not aware of the current market conditions and market behavior. Home prices have declined significantly since the peak of 2006 and in many places, they have gone down as much as 50 to 60 percent. As per estimates, 19% of homeowners believe that their home is worth 10 to 20 percent more than the actual market price. It is, therefore, necessary to take into consideration the current market trend and ask agents or appraisers to set the appropriate price for your house.
NEGLECTING HOME REPAIRS
First impressions are usually the long lasting and if your house is not making a great first impression on the buyer, you are likely to not get the desired price for it. Experts recommend that small fixes and repairs such as leaky faucets, broken or stained wooden floor, creaky hinges can make a big difference on the buyer and should be taken care of before putting your house on the market. A neat and clean house that looks ready to move into will surely help the buyer in making his decision. You do not want the buyer to be distracted by all your stuff so make sure the house is in the best condition when a buyer visits.
POOR OR INCOMPLETE ONLINE LISTINGS
In this day and age where most people looking to buy a house are likely to check online listing and property portals, it is of utmost importance to make your listings as complete and attractive looking as possible. Many homeowners make this mistake and thereby lose money by not showing the true picture to their prospective buyers. It is important to attach as many high-resolution photos of your house as possible. Pictures should cover the important areas such as the exterior, kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms. All pictures should be taken in appropriate lighting. Try to take pictures with a wide-angle lens as it would help to present the rooms and other important spaces in a single frame ensuring that potential buyers get the best possible view of your house.
AVOID COMMON SELLING MISTAKES
When a seller decides to list their property on their own, they run the risk of losing money by not properly pricing their home, not taking into account the comparables in the area and what they sold for, not staging their home correctly, not making the necessary needed repairs, and not hiring a skilled agent that can help negotiate the transaction and ensure all paperwork and the contract is complete. If you are thinking about listing your home for sale, contact our professional real estate agents for more information.
