So, you’ve finally decided to put your house up for sale. Embrace the journey, but know that it will not be without its difficulties. Most home sellers waste time, money, and effort on mistakes that could have been avoided. By avoiding these pitfalls, you can boost your home’s marketability and speed up the selling process.
Avoid Being Too Sentimental
Selling your home can be difficult if you have an emotional attachment to it. This is especially true for your first home. However, being overly sentimental can hurt your house sale.
To avoid this obstacle, think like an entrepreneur or salesperson. It’s easier to separate the emotional side from the business side if you think of the money you’ll get from your house and the new house you’ll buy with this money.
Don’t Underestimate the Costs of Selling a House
Putting up a “FOR SALE” sign is not enough to sell your house. You need to think about the agent’s commission and closing costs, like paying a lawyer or title company to complete the transaction and transfer ownership of the property.
You might also need to hire professionals to get the house in order, fix what’s broken, and do some basic cleaning.
Lastly, think about not only how much it will cost to buy a new home but also how much it will cost to move there.
Don’t Overdo Your Staging
You don’t have to make your house look like a magazine spread, but you should at least hire a professional Home Stager who can help in decluttering, rearranging, and styling your home to attract buyers. You don’t have to overdo your Staging, but making your home more appealing with the help of professionals can boost its value and speed up the sale.
Avoid Pricing Too High
Most first-time home sellers don’t know how much their homes are worth, and wishful thinking and emotions cause them to guess wrong. If you set the price too low, you could lose a few thousand dollars. But if you sell it for too much, you might lose a buyer. The best way to figure out how much your house is worth is to compare it to other houses that have sold in your area.
When pricing your house, consider its location, market value, demand, and condition. Trust a real estate agent, not the internet, to price your home. Homes that are priced correctly sell quickly.
Do Not Hide Major Problems
Make sure you tell the buyer about any problems and repairs that need to be done. You can solve this problem by lowering the price, making repairs before the buyer moves in, or giving the buyer credit for the housing problem. If you don’t deal with the problem, your chances of selling your house will probably go down.
The fact of the matter is that selling a house isn’t easy. First-time sellers often make blunders that delay or prevent the sale of their homes. Being aware of and avoiding these pitfalls will make selling your home much easier.