It’s always a challenging market for sellers since buyers today have increasingly demanding requirements when buying their ideal home. Your house is just one in the for-sale sea of houses so you simply can’t just wing it when it comes to putting a house for sale on the market.
There are some very obvious mistakes sellers make when putting their houses on the market. These are major turn-offs for potential buyers, and the seller in most cases isn’t even aware they are making these mistakes.
Mistake #1: Asking for too much money
You paid for the house so you obviously know its worth, but do you know how the other houses in your neighborhood are being priced at the time you put yours up for sale? You may be pricing your house too high. This will obviously discourage interested parties, meaning your house could be sitting for months – you don’t want that.
Mistake #2: Onboard, all alone!
Get the professionals on the job if you aren’t a seasoned pro in the real estate market. A realtor will not only know of what’s selling around you and at what prices, he/she may also be able to advise you on all repairs/additions you might want to make for a better chance at selling your house for the amount you’re looking for. Moreover, they will help negotiate offers close to your bidding price.
Mistake #3: Absconding from fixes and repairs
When buyers are greeted with sagging screen doors, dripping faucets, loose handrails and a dead garden, the obvious concern that jumps to their minds is the amount of maintenance and repairs it’d take to fix all such issues, including, and especially, those they have yet to come across. Make sure you attend to these aspects before the open house.
Mistake #4: Getting Emotional
Your house is a commodity, not an extension of your identity; so don’t personalize it too much when showing it off. A third person wouldn’t know or care about the blood and sweat that goes into making your house, your home. Just because it seems perfect to you the way it is doesn’t mean others will have the same opinion. Don’t let sentiments get in the way and make the space look as neutral as it can so buyers can envision living there themselves.
Mistake #5: Leaving your collectibles
When potential buyers visit your house, they want to picture their lives in the house. A place where photos, utility bills and other collectibles are lying around when buyers visit often gives the wrong impression, suggesting it’s your home, not theirs.
If you want to show your buyers how you decorated each room before so that they can have a better idea of how the house looks when furnished, its better you click some pictures and show it to them rather than putting everything out.
