8 MISTAKES HOME SELLERS MAKE

When buying a home there are many things you must consider.

We have outlined the most common mistakes people make

 

Mistake #1.

Complacent marketing when selling a home

 

 

 

When selling your home there are no guarantees that the ultimate buyer of your home

will have simply walked through the front door. In many cases you may have to bring

your home to the buyer. Effective marketing will help ensure that your property receives

maximum exposure to attract a ready, willing and able buyer in the shortest period of

time. Ask your real estate agent to list for you all of the ways they intend to market 

your home and on what time-line. Also, be sure to ask about the home being advertised

on the Internet.

 

Mistake #2.

Taking for granted the "curb appeal" of your home

 

 

When you're preparing your house for sale, remember the importance of first impressions.

A buyer's first impression can make or break whether they even want to go inside for a

look. It is estimated that more than half of all houses are sold before the buyers even get out

of their cars. With that in mind, be sure to stand outside of your home and take a realistic

"fresh look" and then ask yourself what can be done to make the "curb appeal" improve.

Also ask your real estate agent’s opinion as to how to improve the curb appeal.

It could make a huge difference in your final sales price.

 

Mistake #3.

Forgetting about health and safety issues

Be upfront and disclose to your real estate agent any problems with the property. The

problems are going to be discovered anyway. A decade ago, health and safety issues

were rarely a part of the typical real estate transaction. Today, however, it's common

for inspections relating to health, safety, and even environmental concerns to be a

part of most sales contracts. Moreover, in many states, the seller must disclosure to

the buyer any knowledge of existing property problems. In many cases, these issues

have been or can be factored into the home's listing price. 

 

Mistake #4.

Forgetting what you would want to see if you were the

buyer of your home

 

Remember that although people can be different in personality, they tend to be the same

when it comes to expectations at someone else's expense. In other words, a prospective

buyer would probably like to see a perfect home from top to bottom, inside and out,

when it comes to your home. Try to do as many of the following items as possible to

improve the likelihood of your home sale in an expedient way.

  On the outside

 1) Sweep front walkway.

 2) Remove newspapers, bikes and toys.

 3) Park extra cars away from the property.

 4) Trim back the shrubs.

 5) Apply fresh, clean paint throughout.

 6) Clean windows and window coverings throughout.

 7) Keep plumbing and all appliances in working order.

 8) Maintain all sealant (window, tub, shower, sink, etc.) in good

 condition.

 9) Make sure roof and gutters are clean and in good condition.

 10) Mow the lawn frequently and plant flowers.

 11) Keep pet areas clean. 

  On the inside 

 1) The kitchen and bathroom should shine.

 2) Quick once-over with the vacuum; carpets should be clean.

 3) Place fresh flowers in the main rooms.

 4) Put dishes away, unless setting a formal display for decoration.

 5) Make all beds and put all clothes away.

 6) Open the curtains and turn on lights for a brighter feel.

 7) Straighten wardrobes.

 8) Put toys away.

 9) Turn off television.

 10) Play soft music on the radio/stereo.

 11) Keep pets out of the way and pet areas clean and odour-free.

 12) Secure jewellery, cash, prescription medication and other valuables.

 13) Enhance the spaciousness of each room.

 

Mistake #5.

Thinking you need to be in the home to explain things to a

prospective buyer

You will be better served if you allow your real estate agent to do their job without you

there. Most potential buyers usually feel more comfortable if they can speak freely to

the real estate agent without the owners being present. If people unaccompanied by

an agent request to see your property, you should refer them to your real estate agent

for an appointment.

 

 Mistake #6.

Not knowing how to price your home to sell

 

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of selling a home is listing it at the correct price.

It's one of several areas where the assistance of a skilled real estate agent can more

than pay for itself. Listing the home too high can be as bad as too low. If the listing

price is too high, you'll miss out on a percentage of buyers looking in the price range

where your home should be. This is the flaw in thinking that you'll always have the

opportunity to accept a lower offer. Chances are the offers won't even come in,

because the buyers who would be most interested in your home have been scared off

by the price and aren't even taking the time to look. By the time the price is corrected,

you've already lost exposure to a large group of potential buyers. The listing price

becomes even trickier to set when prices are quickly rising or falling. It's critical to be

aware of where and how fast the market is moving - both when setting the price and

when negotiating an offer. Again, an experienced, well-trained agent is always in touch

with market trends - often even to a greater extent than appraisers, who typically focus

on what a property is worth if sold as-is, right now.

 

 Mistake #7.

Not planning your move earlier enough

Many sellers simply don't plan their move early enough and then feel totally overwhelmed

at the time of moving out of the house. If you are able to move at any time of the year,

don't wait until summer, the peak-moving season. Consider also that the first and last

few days of the month are extra busy. If you plan to sell your house, get it on the market

as soon as possible. Keep a record of all expenses related to the move, some of which

may be tax deductible. Fill out the Personal Household Inventory for each room. This is

important for establishing the amount of declared valuation for the shipment and as a

permanent inventory for insurance purposes. List, as nearly as possible, the year of

purchase and original cost of each item. Attach any invoices or records of purchase to

the completed inventory. Prepare a separate high-value inventory if the shipment will

contain articles of "extraordinary" value. The following list includes items that might fall

into this category:

 * Antiques

* Art Collections

* Cameras

* China Collections

* Computer Equipment

* Crystal

* Figurines

* Firearms

* Jewellery

* Manuscripts

* Oriental Rugs

* Silver

* Stones Or Gems

* Tapestries

* TVs Or Stereos

Also, unless you have been given a binding moving estimate where a firm cost is

established in advance, the exact cost of a move cannot be determined until after the

shipment has been loaded on the truck. The total cost of the move will include

transportation charges, any charges for declared valuation, plus charges for any extra

services performed at your request. All of these charges are based on tariff rate schedules.

 

 Mistake #8.

Using a "convenient" agent rather than using an

experienced real estate agent

When working with a real estate agent, it's critical that you have full confidence in that

agent's experience and education. A skilled, knowledgeable agent should be able to

explain to you exactly why your home needs to be priced at a certain level - compared

to recent listings and sales of homes similar to yours. Experienced agents also know

exactly what the current pool of buyers are looking for in relation to particular styles

and price ranges of properties. A skilled agent can recommend changes that will

enhance the saleability of your home, thus increasing the price - and/or decreasing

the length of time before a sale.