1. Don’t set an unrealistic asking price.

You’re aware of the price you originally paid for your house and the amount of money you’ve spent updating it. But those amounts may not be what your home is worth today. Your home is only worth the amount of money you can get for it. Your realtor is aware of the price similar homes in your area are selling for today. Pricing it too high will discourage buyers and will likely result in the property sitting on the market for months.

2. Don’t forget to market your property.

The only way to be sure you’ll get the highest possible price for your home is to utilize every marketing tool available to you. This means advertising the home on the internet with quality photographs, hosting open houses, and mailing out post cards to potential buyers. Don’t expect sticking a “For Sale” sign in the front yard is enough to bring in buyers.

3. Don’t skimp on photos.

Listing photographs give buyers their first impression of a home. Don’t skimp on them; the more pictures, the better. Just be sure to clean and clear out clutter before the photographs are taken. Buyers may not even consider viewing your home if they don’t like what they see in your photos.

4. Don’t neglect to fix things that are broken or attempt to hide them from buyers.

When buyers walk through your home and see several things that need to be repaired, they’ll question how well you’ve maintained the property over the years and wonder about any problems they can’t see. A home inspection will bring any problems to light so it’s best to be upfront about them or repair the issues before you list the property.

5. Don’t get emotionally involved.

You’ve probably spent many years creating a home exactly the way you want it. The perfect home you’ve created is probably not the same as someone else’s perfect home. Don’t take it personally if the buyer wants to change certain things about it before they agree to a purchase. First and foremost, think of the selling process as a business transaction. By thinking about it from a financial standpoint, it’s easier to distance yourself from the emotional aspect of it.

6. Don’t neglect to properly prepare your home before you list it.

You want to put your best home forward during the selling process. It’s imperative to adequately prep your home before listing it or you’re just throwing money down the drain. Clean the dingy rugs, get rid of the pesky odors, and clean out all the clutter to make a lasting impression on buyers and keep the sale price where it should be.

7. Don’t get offended by a low offer.

If a buyer makes an offer on your home that’s way below the asking price, don’t take it personally. Don’t get so offended that you walk away from the offer altogether. Now’s your chance to negotiate. Buyers are trying to purchase a home at the lowest price possible. You can’t blame them for trying. Make a counter offer. Buyers usually come back with an offer that’s more indicative of the price they’re willing to pay.

 

Contact Dargan Real Estate for more advice about selling your home.

843-712-2585