Sellers have to be serious about doing what it takes to sell their home. Buyers are warier than ever, and want to be sure they make the right decision. That being said, it is very important that you take every step possible in order to sell your house. Here are some of the mistakes that sellers tend to make, so that you can avoid them.

Not Going With the First Buyer

It’s actually said that 88% of the time, the first buyer is the right buyer. Real estate agents everywhere will tell you that they have seen this happen time and again. Generally speaking, the potential buyer who makes the first offer is highly motivated and ready to do business. The first offer might be lower than you’d like, but that’s what negotiations are for.

You can hold off in hopes of better offers, but many times properties sit on the market too long growing old, because they didn’t take the first buyer. Come a few months from now, the seller is still sitting on the house, and mad at themselves for not taking the offer. 

Offering Buyers “Credits” For Work You Don’t Feel Like Doing

Buyers are busy, too. They don’t want to have to deal with repair or maintenance work after they close. What they will do is call out these faults, either with a lower offer price or by asking for credits after the property inspection. Instead of offering credits against the purchase price, invest some money up front and get the work done yourself. It is important to do this before you list the house. If the home has changes that you know need to be made, do them ahead of time. You don’t want a dumpster truck outside of the house when you’re trying to sell.

Reflecting Personal Style in Any or All Upgrades or Repairs

If you are trying to sell your house, you need to be sure that you stage it in a neutral way. If you need to make choices on colors or styles, you must choose that which most people would like. If you’re not sure, ask your agent for a designer or stager. Remember, most buyers expect to add their own touch to the home once they close. 

Overpricing the Home

Everything is online. Informed buyers know the comps in your neighborhood. If your asking price is too high, your home is definitely going to sit on the market much longer. The longer it sits, the bigger the chance you’ll have to take less money for the house when (if) it sells. If you price your home just right from the beginning, the odds are in your favor that the final sale price will be higher than if you’d priced it too high. Plus, you’ll have saved yourself months and months of carrying costs, including mortgage payments and property taxes.

Making it Difficult For Your Agent to Show

With the market picking up, buyers and their agents are shopping online for homes all the time. If your home is priced right and shows well, chances are you could get requests to see the property within hours of listing the home with your real estate agent. You should plan on having the home ready to show within 48 hours. Turning away prospective buyers or making it difficult to show sends a negative message.

That message is that that you’re not motivated or serious about selling. Even renters feel this way when a potential landlord says, “can’t show it monday, but I can on Thursday.” If you’re serious about selling, be wary of these mistakes. Hire a good real estate agent to make sure you put your best foot forward, and your house will sell in no time!

For further reading, here are 47 Tips To Get Your Home Show Ready, and another article on 4 Ways to Get Your Home Ready To Show

2 Comments

  1. Lucy

    Great article. Another thing I would be sure to do is make sure you clean. I mean professional-grade cleaning. Sweeping is not enough. Some people fill their houses with figurines. Others pack shelves with books. Whatever your passion, now’s not the time to share it with the world. Take down personal items and box them or donate them to charity. Furniture also creates clutter. If you bump up against a table or chair when entering a room, you probably need to remove it.

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  2. Henry F

    Another point I’d like to add, is that sellers should not ever be there for a viewing. It really makes everyone uncomfortable, trust me. When I looked at houses last year, there was one annoying seller that wanted to be there both times I viewed the house. A buyer cannot fully view the home or ask the questions they really want to if you are there.

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