Bypassing pitfalls will create a rewarding, positive selling experience. It’s true home sales can bring mental and physical toil, and the cost of selling a house can add up. Having the right mindset will improve focus. Taking buyer perspective into account will vitalize strategy. Collaborating with your real estate agent to develop a marketing plan to reach your goals is also great.
There are typical faux pas sellers make after listing their homes. Avoid these errors with awareness. While there is a lot of work to the process, you can have fun expressing yourself. Include your personality in a way that welcomes the next homeowner.
Be a step ahead with these tips for selling your home:
Be a step ahead with these tips for selling your home:
Choosing the wrong time to sell
It’s hard to believe a tiny detail can create a major effect, but when you list your home makes a huge difference in your selling success. This year, the National Association of Realtors reported that Tuesday evenings were the hottest time for buyers to scroll listings. Traditionally, Thursday nights have been the preferred time to post. This timing generates excitement for that weekend's open houses.
The time of year also makes a difference. Due to the temptation to get outside and be active, springtime is generally known as the top buying season. Buyers are likelier to stroll neighborhoods to seek For Sale or open house signs. Curb appeal is also improved, as homeowners have freshly cut lawns and neatly trimmed foliage. Flowers in bloom, healthy trees lush with green leaves, and a welcoming porch call buyers to take a peek. Being mindful of when to start marketing will lead to fantastic results.
Falling behind on the staging process
When selling a home, it’s crucial to make it dazzle and shine. Staging is a step that can’t be skipped, especially since 82% of buyers report it makes a difference.
The object is to set up the property so viewers can picture themselves living there. In the first phase, donate and eliminate any unusable or broken belongings. Clothes the family has grown out of, old-fashioned photo frames, and furniture that has seen better days can be picked up by Goodwill. While the house is still yours until closing, it’s essential to store away personalized heirlooms and knick-knacks. These items we put up to indicate it’s our home, and buyers won’t see space for their cherished things. After the house is decluttered and thinned out, scrub a dub!
The next phase would be enhancing the property so that it looks enticing. A part of this process is designing the exterior to draw buyers inside. Countless ideas are out there for decorating and furnishing just to sell. Let your creativity flow! Some simple changes that enhance the appearance are:
-
Buying new house numbers- a shiny new 100 would look great, especially if buyers are looking to find the address.
-
Take advantage of the spring season with colorful flowers in front of your great room windows. Adding window boxes- even the tiniest pop of color would delight. The house will exude joy.
-
Design a welcoming porch- placing some new, trendy outdoor furniture in the front would make a big difference. Any buyer would long for summer days lounging with lemonade or snowy days watching the snowfall. Fresh air is in!
-
Upgrade and add freely- when deciding what to fix up, anything goes. Painting the front door and trim, replacing your mailbox or welcome mat, and throwing a seasonal wreath on the door are all beneficial projects. Follow the muse if you feel inspired as you step back and observe your property.
After all your hard work is done, it will seem like you’ve wrapped up your home like a present. Staging can be a challenge, physically and emotionally, but thinking about it as fun and exciting can help. If necessary, professional stagers are available for advice or to complete the job in full. Your real estate agent likely has a few favorites!
Avoiding essential repairs
Fixing the damaged areas of a property is hard work but must be done. Buyers wouldn’t desire to move into a money pit, and the lenders won’t appreciate a poor inspection. Help yourself with a pre-inspection: a certified appraiser can overlook the house and see what structural or functional damage needs to be addressed. Accomplish this before listing time, and you’re ahead of the game.
Like staging, doing renovations can be a time for creativity and fun. You can investigate the latest home improvement trends and which would work for your property. You might dread cleaning out and replacing cabinets with broken handles and a fridge whose ice machine jams weekly. Turn lemons into lemonade by installing a smart fridge, opening up the space for a U-shape kitchen, and experimenting with color schemes. Maybe renting designer couches and end tables sounds like a chore, but installing a fireplace to create a cozy atmosphere sounds divine. You’ll be leaving these treats for the buyers but practicing for your next dream home!
Not hiring a powerful agent
In any business deal, arbitration comes into play. Your bottom line is accruing a generous profit while the buyer seeks a dream property for the lowest figure. Compromise, negotiation, and communication are a must here. Because real estate is a fierce industry with many surprises, hiring a skilled agent would be your best decision. They will know the local market of your house and what actions to take for a significant return. The realtor will do a comparative market analysis to run numbers and land on the best listing price.
Once offers come in, they can detect which should get your attention and which you could reject. As discussion begins, the agent acts as a mediator, meaning you won’t need to talk to buyers or vendors too much during the process. And when that final closing stage approaches, the agent will know when to push for a higher asking price, back down, or agree to concessions in the purchase agreement. Experienced real estate agents are adept at active listening and bargaining. While they have your best interest in mind, they’ve also sold and bought houses for decades in your area and know where people stand. Be sure you have the right partner in your home-selling journey.
Roger Banning is the premier agent for selling guidance. After 20+ years of experience selling Phoenix and Scottsdale, his team is among the top one percent of the nation. Contact him for an outstanding selling experience and discover all his tips for selling your home.
