Home Staging- Mistakes Sellers Make When Listing their Home for Sale

#1  Setting the Wrong Price

Setting the price too high will price the home out of the range that otherwise interested buyers would be looking in. If your price is too high the home is not going to sell. It will sit unsold and become what real estate agents refer to as a "stale listing." When a home is initially listed on the market, traffic to the home is at it's highest. As the home sits on the market traffic slows down.  After a while buyers assume there is a reason the home has not sold.  Their thinking is "Why hasn't it sold? There must be something wrong with it".  Pricing a home too low will result in a quick sale, but at a financial loss to the seller.  To ensure that a home is priced appropriately a seller should consult a qualified Realtor who is familiar with the home market in that area.

#2 Access to the home

Being able to actually get into the home to show it is key to selling the home.  A lock-box provides the best access as all active Realtors will be able to show the home.  "By appointment only" showings are most restrictive and can result in lost buyers.  When buyers are out shopping and cannot get into a home, they will move on to the next one on the list and may find what they are looking for elsewhere without seeing the unavailable listing. Pets also play a role in restricted access to homes.  While pets may be a valuable member of the household, when selling arrangments must be made for working around pets.  If a seller is serious about selling their home it must be accessible at all times to Buyers. 

# 3 An unclean or cluttered home

A home that is for sale needs to be in tip top shape inside and out.  Buyers are looking for their dream home and it doesn't include dirt, bad smells, or unkept yards.  When a buyer sees clutter in a home they automatically assume that the current owner does not have enough room to store their clutter and will assume that this will be an issue for them too.  The best thing a seller can do is go through their home and clean- clean- clean, and then pack and de-clutter.

# 4 Poor maintenance and not making needed repairs

When buyers walk through a home for sale they walk in the door with the list price of the home in their head.  As soon as they see poor maintenance, needed repairs, and broken or missing items- the price starts going down in their head quickly.  They are mentally deducting the cost of all those repairs and will decide that the home is not a good investment.  After all- everyone wants the most for their money.  If a seller wants full price they need to make those repairs before listing the home and remove those obsticles for the buyer up front.

#5  Bad furniture arrangement and misuse of rooms 

Since only 10% of buyers can visualize what a home could look like, it is obvious that the other 90% need to be able to see it.  Which means buyers are looking at the existing furniture and it's placement in a room to determine whether the room is large enough and is used appropriately. Overcrowding rooms with furniture pieces that are too big or don't belong there will give the appearance that the room is smaller than it is.  What worked for the current owner may not have been what the room was initially designed for, or what the buyer is planning on using it for.  A good example of this would be a 3 bedroom home that is currently being used as a 2 bedroom with an office set up in the third bedroom.  If most of the buyers in that area are families with children and are looking for a 3 bedroom, that is how the house needs to show.  That's why staging a home is important.  Professional staging by an experienced, trained home stager is crucial for revealing a room's function, size, warmth, beauty, and light.  A certified home stager is trained to minimize flaws and highlight the homes best features along with adding emotional connections that appeal to the buyers senses.

#6   Relying Only On Traditional Sales Methods

Sellers who are innovative and willing to offer new marketing strategies for attracting home buyers will have better luck selling their home than the seller who is not willing to explore other options.  Finding a Realtor who thinks outside the box when it comes to marketing is important.  A seller should not be afraid to ask a Realtor what their marketing and advertising methods are when interviewing for a listing agent. 

#7  Sellers who stay emotionally attached to their homes

Once a seller decides to list their home for sale they need to be ready to cut the emotional strings to the home and think of the "house" as the "financial investment" that it is.  Too often sellers cannot pack away the memories they have of living in the house and this transfers to the buyers.  Buyers don't want the sellers memories- they are looking to make their own, and they have to feel comfortable in the home.  Hiring a home stager is crucial for this process. A home stager knows how to "set the stage" that buyers are looking for.

#8   Not taking the time to learn current market conditions

A Realtor who is active and understands the market is a must when it comes to selling in todays economy.  A home is a seller's largest financial investment- and should be handled by someone who knows how to help them get the most money from their investment.  Knowing what the market conditions are, what is selling and what is not, and what buyers are currently looking for is essential.  A seller should educate themselves with this information when listing their home.

#9 Wasting Time With Looky Loos and non-qualified buyers

Figuring out if a buyer is a serious buyer or just a weekend house hunter is very important when selling a home. This is another area that a good Realtor is a must!  Reators these days don't have time to mess with buyers who are not serious and have not been pre-qualified by a mortgage company, and neither should the seller.  An un-qualified buyer can cause huge delays and cost valuable time when selling your home.

And Finally  #10...

Choosing The Wrong Real Estate Agent or trying to sell without a Realtor

Agent represented home sales comprise the majority of homes sold, but choosing the right agent is essential. The experience, knowledge and marketing skills that a good Realtor can supply will have a huge impact on your success. Signing up with the right agent can make all the difference in the world.  A good Agent works in conjunction with the seller and keeps them informed througout the process. Ask friends and aquaintances for referrals to find the right agent for your home.  Likewise many sellers don't want to pay the Realtor fees and decide to sell it themselves.  This can work for some, but keep in mind that a lot of buyers and sellers are not comfortable negotiating face to face.  Sellers have a tendancy to attach and include the value of their emotional connection to the home when negotiating the price and buyers are only willing to pay what they think the house is worth to them based on what they can afford and what they believe comparable homes in the area are selling for.  This along with the legal issues and proper documents that need to be handled make selling without a licensed Realtor a risk for sellers.  I am not saying a seller cannot sell their home without a Realtor, just that they should be fully prepared before attempting it themselves.

Gathering as much knowledge as possible is a vital step when selling or buying a home- always research and be prepared- this is after all- the biggest investment most people will make in their lifetime!

Looking for tips and information about making your home look great check out information on:

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