Selling a home isn’t as easy as just putting a sign in front of your house. Don’t just hope you’ll get your home sold. Avoid these common mistakes to get a good start on going from listed to sold.
- Don’t over price your home. Padding the cost to allow for negotiations will keep you from selling quickly. The longer your house is on the market, the worse off it is.
- Don’t respond to low price offers. If you don’t have a negotiation specialist, don’t try to haggle with someone low balling you. Ask them to resubmit instead.
- Don’t overload with fragrances to cover odors. You don’t want to smell like a perfume counter any more than you want it to smell like wet dog. It should be light and pleasant.
- Don’t leave important or unattractive items in plain sight. Be sure to hide your bills, pet items, or anything valuable.
- Don’t forget the closets. The nooks and crannies of your home are of great interest and highlights to potential buyers. Remember they are going to check the closets and cabinets, so make sure you do better hiding your dirty laundry.
- Don’t over emphasize the repairs you have done. Buyers are interested in the house as it is, not what it was or what you put into it.
- Don’t leave repairs and projects for the buyers. They’ll have enough changes that they want to make and might take their business to a house that doesn’t need so much to be done.
- Don’t underestimate curb appeal. Letting yard work go will ruin the first impression a home buyer has for your house and you may not get a second chance.
- Don’t think potential buyers will care about your pets. They are a deterrent for some people, especially litter boxes.
- Don’t forget the light. Bright sunlit homes sell faster. Be sure to open blinds, shades and curtains and change the light bulbs in all the fixtures.