How to avoid the most common home selling mistakes

The process of selling a home can have plenty of twists and turns, but with some smart decision making, you can avoid the most common mistakes and pitfalls of selling your home. An experienced agent can guide you every step of the way, so at the end of the day, you will achieve a satisfying and successful real estate experience.

Clients, Steve and Lisa used smart decision making when readying their home for market. They worked diligently during the months leading up to listing their home, making sure it was in the best condition to get top dollar. Their hard work paid off as we were under contract within seven days.

Avoid becoming emotional or sentimental about the sale
Once you decide to sell your house, it's time to strip out the emotion and look at it as a commodity in a business transaction. If you start reminiscing about all the good times you had and the hard work you invested, it will only make it that much harder to successfully price, prepare, and market the home.

Fix problems (or price accordingly)
Homes with deferred maintenance and repair issues can take far longer to sell and can be subject to last-minute sale-cancellations. These homes also often sell for less than their legitimate market value. If you simply can't afford to address critical issues, be prepared to work with your agent to price and market your home accordingly.

Spruce up the exterior grounds
It is important that your home looks as well cared for as it is. Cleaning up the grounds is key. Start by  trimming and pruning trees and bushes, mowing and edging the lawn, painting the porch and rails, power washing the hardscaping, and adding some warm welcome like a new welcome mat, freshly planted planters and bright pillows on a nearby bench.

Don't overprice your home (and/or refuse to negotiate)
Getting top dollar is the dream of every seller. But it's essential that you let the market dictate that price, not your emotions or financial situation. Allow your agent to research and prepare a solid market analysis that factors in the value of similar homes in the area and trust those results.

Use quality photos
The vast majority of prospective buyers today search for homes online first. In order to make a good first impression, you need a wealth of high-quality photos of your home and surrounding grounds. You may also need to consider professional staging in order to position your home in the best possible light for prospective buyers. There are many ways to approach this and a great agent will be able to provide a variety of budget-friendly options.

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur