Home Selling Mistakes

If you’ve lived in a home for a number of years, it can be hard to separate yourself from the memories that you’ve built over the years. Whether you’re ready to downsize or you want to relocate to another city, getting your home ready for sale can make for a smooth transition when you avoid the following mistakes.

Foregoing a Pre-Listing Home Inspection

A home inspection is something that buyers should obtain upon finding the home of their dreams. However, scheduling a home inspection before you’ve even listed your dwelling can save you a lot of headaches down the road. This allows you to address any issues before the buyer walks through the property. It also prevents you from having to negotiate a lower price because you’re now obligated to fix home related issues.

Skipping the Preparation

Putting a home on the market can take a lot of preparation, especially when there is a lot of work to be done. While you may want to test the market without painting walls, repairing hardwood flooring or fixing major leaks, your home will probably get looked over for the more move-in ready real estate options. If you fail to sell your home after the first few weeks of testing, buyers may be looking for a price reduction to pay for all of the blemishes.

Selecting the Wrong Real Estate Agent

Some sellers choose to go with a friend of a friend when it comes time to put their home on the market. However, while they may be a trusted individual, they may not mesh with your personality. Someone far from your neighborhood may also not know the community as well as an agent nearby. When it comes time to place your home on the market, it’s best to interview several candidates before making your decision.

Lack of Curb Appeal

 

If you spend most of the time painting and fixing the interior of your dwelling and neglect to do anything outdoors, you run the risk of having your home passed over. A buyer gets a sense of hominess the instant that they pull up to it. That’s why it’s important to paint the exterior, plant flowers, pull weeds and give the outer layer some TLC.

Withholding Buyer Information

If you’re keeping your fingers crossed that the buyer or home inspector won’t find out about a flood, you could be in for a rough ride ahead. Whether your bathroom sink leaks or the basement has experienced a flood, you are obligated to disclose that pertinent information when you sell your home.

Overpriced Home

A real estate agent who knows the market will suggest a price for your home based on the current comps and recent closings. However, if you think that your dwelling should be listed far over market value, you’ll probably end up having to drop your price in the end. Pricing a home right and within the figures of what the market analysis dictates should garner a quick and fair sale.

Be Unprepared

The real estate market has been in a state of fluctuation over the past few years. No matter if your home sells quickly or the deal falls through, you need to have a plan in place. This could include renting an apartment while you search for a new home if your home sells quicker than expected. You should also be prepared in case the buyer doesn’t qualify for a mortgage, and you have to put your home back up for sale.

Pets and Children

When it comes time to showing your property, you want to set the mood. This includes packing your children and pets in the car and vacating the premises while the agent shows your home. This allows the buyer to imagine the home of their own without the current residents getting in the way.