BY RON BARLAY
As a real estate agent with more than twenty five years of experience, I have witnessed some unfortunate mistakes being made by sellers. Here is my list of top five pitfalls to avoid.
They over-price their home: If you’re serious about selling your home, you need to price it correctly. It would be nice to just name your ideal price and be done with it, but that’s not the way it works. Pricing a home without performing a CMA is a major mistake. This is the type of thing that should be handled by your real estate agent. Discuss the matter with your real estate agent to ensure that your home is priced in a way that generates interest.
They don’t stage their home: In today’s highly competitive housing market, home staging has become an important tool to effectively sell real estate. Home staging focuses on improving a property and transforming it into an attractive product for sale. You only have one chance to impress potential buyers. Buyer’s first impressions are formed as soon as they step inside your home.
They don’t hire a real estate agent: Working through a real estate deal is challenging and takes a lot of skill. There are many nuances that require attention and understanding. The difference between a good deal and a bad deal can mean thousands of dollars. Furthermore, some buyers do intentionally try to take advantage of sellers who aren’t using agents, i.e. they negotiate more aggressively. Hiring a good real estate agent with a proven track record can means thousands in your pocket.
They don’t do the required repairs: As a real estate agent, I can tell you that there’s one thing that will throw a wrench into the negotiation process: major repairs. Nothing is more frustrating than attracting a qualified buyer and having something major come up during the home inspection. At that point, you will have to scramble to come to a resolution, or the buyer could walk. For this reason, it’s often wise to have an inspection performed prior to listing a house on the market. If major repairs are in order, you will be in the driver’s seat.
They ignore the home’s exterior: Buyers make instant judgements on homes they are viewing, whether it is on-line or at the property itself. How your home shows from the outside sends a message to a potential buyer about how the home views on the inside. To a potential buyer, a cluttered lawn can mean a cluttered home, or an old mailbox can indicate poor upkeep. I know in my experience in real estate, some of my buyers won’t even get out of their car if the home isn’t appealing to them from the driveway. On the other hand, I have witnessed some potential buyers stately firmly that they love the house and will buy it, even before they step inside the front door.
