The home selling process can be complicated and confusing, so it’s not surprising that some sellers make a few mistakes along the way. But while these mistakes may seem small, they can also be costly.
Here are the top home selling mistakes that you should definitely avoid:
- Not making the necessary repairs
Before you even put your home on the market, you should already take care of minor and major repairs. If buyers see a house that’s in bad shape, they will end up offering a lower price for your home or backing out completely. Even the simplest home repairs such as fixing ceiling cracks or replacing a light switch can make a big difference. Make sure to be familiar with some home maintenance tips.
- Neglecting to clean, declutter, and depersonalize the home
Cleaning and decluttering your home is essential to the home selling process. When buyers see a dirty and messy home, it will give them a bad first impression and turn them off. Make the extra effort to spruce the place up – clean everything inside and out, make sure closets are organized (buyers will look into them), eliminate bad odors, and so on.
Many home sellers also fail to depersonalize their home. Don’t forget to remove personal items like photos, travel souvenirs, collections, and the like. This makes it easier for buyers to visualize themselves living there.
- Using bad, low-quality photographs
Having high-quality photos of your home can make all the difference in the world. Since the majority of buyers look online first for available homes, it’s important that your house makes a good first impression. If you have poorly lit, badly taken photos, you’re not going to attract that many buyers. This is not an issue when you work with marketing professionals like the team at Pagnotta Homes – they know how to highlight the best features of your home and they know what to do to make it stand out online.
- Overpricing the home
Overpricing is one of the biggest mistakes that home sellers make. If your home is priced higher than what it’s really worth, buyers will skip over your listing and your house will most likely end up staying on the market for a while. That’s why it’s important for your home to be priced properly from day one.
- Concealing important home issues
Another huge mistake that home sellers make is not revealing all of their home’s issues. Even if you hide the problem, buyers will eventually find out and this can sour negotiations or result in the buyer filing a lawsuit against you for fraud or misrepresentation. Fill out your seller disclosure statement carefully and make sure that you’re not misrepresenting anything.
- Trying to sell the home without an agent
To save money, many home sellers will try to sell their home on their own. While it’s possible, it doesn’t compare to havinga seasoned, knowledgeable professional by your side. When you work with a real estate agent, you will have their experience, skills, and knowledge of the local area working for you.
Sell your home today with Cindy Pagnotta and the team at Pagnotta Homes. They look forward to helping you achieve the best results. Just call 908.436.7947 or e-mail info(at)pagnottahomes(dotted)com.