These are the most common mistakes I see when people are selling their homes. Please, please do not do any of the following:
1-Hire the wrong Realtor. The barrier for entry is so low that almost anyone can start out as a Realtor- whether or not they have the skills for it. A good Realtor nets you thousands of dollars more, while a bad Realtor loses you money. So- take your time, look at reviews, and dig into your potential Realtors BEFORE you hire them. Don’t be afraid to interview several!
2-Do updates without talking to your Realtor first. A Realtor can tell you which updates, if any, are necessary, and which ones will make your home sell for more. Too often, someone spends $20,000 updating a kitchen and THEN hires a Realtor, only to find out that their update brought little or no extra value to the price of the home.
3-Be home during showings. UNCOMFORTABLE. It is SO uncomfortable and awkward for a potential buyer to look at your home if you are IN that home. It makes it difficult for them to imagine themselves in your home and they will be much less likely to put in an offer.
4- Reject showings. You really don’t know who your actual buyer will be. Even if it’s an awkward time or gives you little notice, say yes to every possible showing. The more showings you get, the more likely you will be to get the buyer you want.
5- Tell others your motivation to sell. This happens a lot with for-sale-by-owners. They’ll say, “Oh, I need to be out in four weeks because my job is moving.” To any Realtor, that will sound like “I need to get out of my home and I’ll take less money for it.” Keep your reasoning close to your chest and you’ll be able to negotiate from a stronger position.
BONUS !
One last common mistake? Pricing your home too high going out of the gate. You only have a brief period on the market where you are the new, shiny thing that garners attention. If you have your home listed at too high of a price on day one, people will quickly lose interest, you’ll eventually have to drop your price, and those who see your listing will wonder ‘what’s wrong with this house? Why didn’t it sell? Why did they have to drop the price?” Do yourself a favor and price your home competitively from the first moment! (See #1 here- a good Realtor will make sure you’re priced correctly!)
