What Not To Do When Selling Your Home

Many people are surprised to find out how time-consuming and emotionally challenging it is to sell a home. Often it feels like an invasion of privacy. People are walking through your home, opening your closets and drawers, criticizing the way you do things. Then, on top of that, they sometimes offer you less money than you think your home is worth.

Sometimes it is easy to make mistakes when the stress of selling a home gets to be too much. With a little bit of information, and a good agent by your side, it is easy to avoid some of these mistakes. Below you will find out what some of the most common mistakes people make while selling their homes are. Knowing these will help you get the highest price for you home and sell it quickly, while not losing your mind.

Don’t Overprice Your Home

It is normal to want to get the best possible price for your house. You love your home and have heard of people in the neighbourhood getting fantastic money for their homes. Wanting to price your home too high is common. The problem with a house that is priced too high is that it stays on the market and does not get sold quickly. Once a house has been on the market for several months, buyers will think there’s something wrong with it. This will force you to drop your price, and you may have already lost the interest of many potential buyers.

Get Really Good Listing Photos

These days, most people shop for their homes on the internet. If you have taken the photos yourself, you may not be showing your home in the best possible light. Hire a professional photographer, and make sure they get shots of all the important rooms in the house. Get shots of any of the interesting details of the home, but also be sure to include full room shots as well so potential buyers can get a feel for the home.

Do Some of the Repairs You Have Been Neglecting

People coming through your house will notice things around your home that you may have stopped noticing years ago. Before the buyers start coming, it is time to finally get around to fixing that broken spindle on the bannister or the old water damage stain in the bathroom. If potential buyers see these types of flaws during a showing, they may think that the house needs a lot of work and wonder what else will need fixing. Fixing obvious problems will increase the chances of getting an offer and result in a better price on your home.

Put Away Personal Items

It is important for potential buyers to be able to imagine themselves in your home. Even if you are not hiring stagers, there is a lot you can do on your own to improve it for showing. Things like putting away family photos, knickknacks, and personal items go a long way in helping. Tone down distracting decor, bright colours, and anything else that would divert attention from the most important thing a buyer should be focusing on: the home itself.

Stay Away from Home During Showings

This is one thing you should let the real estate agents handle on their own. Buyers will definitely benefit from a little freedom to imagine themselves in your home. Also, they’ll feel more comfortable talking about the house, looking in the cabinets and closets without the homeowner being there, potentially making them hesitant.

Tidy Up Clutter

If potential buyers view your house when the closets are overflowing and countertops are covered with spices, cosmetics, appliances, and dishes, they may not be able to visualize the property's full potential or think that there is enough storage space. Put away the laundry that is hanging out to dry. Excess furniture and distracting decor will make rooms seem much smaller than they are. Remove as much of your home’s contents as possible to attract storage-conscious prospective buyers.

Do Not Ignore the Competition

When you are selling your home, you are competing with all other properties for sale in your price range, with a similar specification as yours. Take the time to check out the competition. You want to make sure that your property looks like the best value for money and creates the best impression to your potential buyers.

Do Not Waste Space

Do you have a spare room that you dump all your junk in? If a buyer sees this, they will see no reason for that space, and think of this as paying for space that is not required. Always give your rooms a clear purpose – and ensure that the buyer can see exactly what rooms there are. Create a spare bedroom or an office with any spaces that are not currently being use.