Mistakes not to make! A Sellers Perspective

In this market, and in any market for that matter, here's what we see as the biggest mistakes that Sellers make in the process of selling their home.

• They do not make important repairs prior to putting their house on the market. Obvious, or even less than obvious flaws will likely be discovered by the buyer, the buyer's agent, and most assuredly by the inspector that the buyer hires. Save yourself time, anguish, and money by taking care of the big problems in advance. Too many times contract offers break down when a buyer finds a major defect that spooks them from moving forward with the transaction. Don't be in that position!
• Along the same line of thinking, Sellers don't make needed cosmetic improvements that maximize value and appeal to buyers. A little time, effort, and freshening up goes a LOOONNNNG way to showing that the home has been loved, cared for, and is attractive enough to be bought by others. If you don't know how or what to do to freshen your homes' look, call any one of us and we'll be glad to help you out.
• They price their home competitively against the ACTIVE listings on the market in their neighborhood, not the SOLDS. In this market, pricing against what has recently sold is IMPERATIVE! The current adage is, in this market "you must be at the top third of quality and condition, and in the bottom third of price" to have your home stand out and sell.
• They don't make their house easy to show. Showing by "appointment only" is a deal killer! If a stay-at-home mom needs a heads up before showing, or you have pets that need containing prior to showing, no problem, just make the opportunity to show the property as easy as possible - buyers crossing the threshold increases the likelihood of a home selling.
• Sellers not leaving the house during a showing. Having the home feel as neutral as possible, like a model - and not like somebodies home - help buyers feel like they are not intruding on someones personal space. It may sound funny but sellers typically make buyers feel ill at ease if they are hanging out when viewing their home, whether they mean to or not.
• Sellers don't counter "low ball offers". ALL OFFERS ARE GOOD OFFERS! Frequently buyers will float a low offer to see what the response will be and possibly get a steal of a deal. If sellers choose not to respond because they feel insulted of otherwise take it personally, they are most definitely missing out on the possibility that the buyer is just "fishing" and is really willing to pay closer to the list price.
• Sellers think it is okay to try and price their home high now, giving themselves some "wiggle room" and then lower it if it doesn't sell. There are countless reasons why this is a bad idea, particularly in this market. For the sake of brevity, ask us why and we'll tell you why sellers shoot themselves in the foot by doing this.
• They choose their agent based on the person who "likes their home the most" and thinks their house is worth the most. Feel-good listing presentations and unrealistic assumptions about what a sellers home will sell for is an absolute killer. There is a reason why there are more "withdrawn" and "expired" listings now than there have ever been, and cheer leading real estate agents who do not speak frankly with sellers about the local market sales activity are prime reasons for this.
• Sellers frequently price their home outside of important "price points". Ask us what is meant by this.
• Sellers are frequently bad about listening to stupid people.

For sellers, this is a lot to keep in mind. Do not doubt the value of these points, however, if you or someone you know is trying to sell a home. We've found that addressing these things head on makes ALL the difference.