Home selling pitfalls are a real problem that some people inevitably encounter. What’s most unsettling is that it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, most of these unfortunate situations are totally avoidable. Sadly, some home sellers walk right into these traps of their own volition and it creates even more issues. When you are selling a house, you’ve simply got to think about it from the buyer’s perspective. While this might not come as a welcome task, it’s just part of the home selling process.
How to Get a House into Salable Condition
The biggest obstacle to overcome initially is being honest with yourself about what needs repair. This is simple. If it’s broken, worn out, or damaged, it must be repaired or replaced. There really are very few exceptions. Only if you’re selling a house in “As is” condition can you get away with this. But, if you want the biggest return on investment, you’ll have to make the necessary repairs and replacements.
“Trying to sell your home by yourself is sheer madness. Many people think that it’s easily doable because the market is hot and you can save on the commission. Despite the lure of not having to pay an agent a commission, you need the expertise and know-how of a professional, who can help you navigate the stacks of paperwork, provide priceless neighborhood knowledge – and negotiate on your behalf.” —Time.com
Staging is another must. You will hurt your chances of selling if it’s not staged — there is no way around this. Calling in a professional is obviously the most advantageous but you can go the DIY route. (Just be sure to follow through and do it right.) Declutter, depersonalize, and deep clean. Those are the three big rules. And, make your home available at any time. While this can certainly come as an inconvenience, it’s a giant help to selling.
Most Common Home Selling Pitfalls
Now, let’s take a look at what you’ll need to do to avoid making a huge mistake. After all, you want to make the right choices to sell as fast as possible and for the right price. Here are the most common home selling pitfalls to avoid:
- Unwillingness to seriously negotiate. When you sell a home, you’re going to negotiate, make no mistake about it. Negotiation comes in many forms, not just the asking price. There’s also buyer contingencies and more at-play. So, be ready and willing to negotiate to get the house sold in order to move on.
- Closely following people touring the house. When people come to tour your property, do not follow them about. In fact, you should probably just leave the showings to your real estate professional. But, if you are present, stay afar and make yourself available, if necessary. Just keep your distance unless you’re actually needed.
- Giving into an unreasonable emotional attachment. It’s hard for some sellers to part with a house they’ve turned into a home for so many years. That is absolutely understandable. However, if you’re not ready to part with the property, you’re not actually ready to sell. If you start the process, be sure you can go through with it when it comes time.
- Not having a realistic and actionable moving plan in place. It’s not just procrastinators that fall into this dilemma. The timeline can easily shrink due to a number of circumstances. So, have an actionable moving plan you can execute when it’s time.
If you are considering buying or selling a house in Orlando’s Hunter’s Creek, or another community, contact us for the latest market information. We are local and experienced in all facets of residential real estate, here to help you, when you need it.