Most Common Mistakes People Make When Selling Their Home
It's common for people to become very emotional about selling their homes and often, these emotions come in the way of clear decision making. To get the most money out of the home you are selling, it pays to do everything right. While putting emotions to one side may help, learning to identify and eliminate some costly mistakes will help increase your chances for a smoother, faster, and more gainful transaction.
To help you do this, here is a list of the most common mistakes people make when selling their home.
Not listing with a professional real estate agent. The biggest mistake people make when selling their home is not listing with a licensed professional. You are leaving money on the table by trying to do it all yourself. Exposure to every agent, brokerage, and buyer in the market will ensure you will get the maximum number of looks possible. A professional real estate agent will show your home off to your community and your region and ultimately the world, in just a day or two of listing. The more eyes on your property the more chances of getting your price or possibly higher.
Hiring the first agent you meet without properly vetting them. It’s important to speak to a couple of agents when listing your home. Find an agent that suits you, your style and has the energy and focus to get your home sold.
Overvaluing your home on the listing price. As fabulous as your home is to you, be sure to really consider the actual “solds” that are in your neighbourhood, that are somewhat similar. The first two weeks are crucial.
Under-preparing your home for sale. Take some time to give your home a really good clean, clean your windows, straighten out your closets, de-clutter, touch up paint, clean up after animals and kids, smelling clean is better than smelling fragrance. The first five minutes in your home will set the tone.
Sticking to a strict open house and showing schedule. Be flexible with showings and open houses. The more we can show off your home, the chances of getting an offer quickly will increase.
Underestimating the importance of space planning. Make zones, seating areas, dining areas, kid zones, backyard and front porch areas visually makes your square footage seem larger. I've had clients actually buy properties that had the under the stairs area done up for a kids’ cubby, crazy but true.
To avoid these and other pitfalls when selling your home in the Niagara Region and surrounding areas, reach out to the home-selling expert, Christine Gazzola.
She focuses on reducing stress and relieving anxiety for her clients throughout the selling process, by paying close attention to their wants and needs and taking the time to discover their dreams and goals. If you have any questions about how Christine can help you, contact her here.