There are many ways to make sure you sell your home, and their are many things that will ensure you do not sell. Here are the 5 Deadly Mistakes I’ve seen Sellers make.
Never listen to your Realtor. This is like going to your doctor, then talking to all of your friends, family members and co-workers who have ever been sick before, and coming up with your own diagnosis. What your cousin, or coworker did 10 years ago when they sold their home has nothing to do with today’s market. Why would you completely ignore the advice of a seasoned real estate professional who sells homes everyday, who knows the market inside-out, and who keeps up with the latest market trends?
Forget about any repairs, in fact why bother to clean. Just think about which home you would rather buy? Well, if you are an investor, then it is the fixer. If you are like most buyers, you don’t want to paint, have new floorcoverings or new granite counter tops before you move in. They are not likely to want that harvest gold refrigerator either. Why bother cleaning? Just leave the counters and closets cluttered, the trash overflowing, and the toilet lid up. What better a place for your dirty clothes, then on the floor? This way buyers can really imagine living there….
Make it hard to show. This one really gets me. Why not require 48 hour minimum notice with no showings after six or on weekends? I showed one recently that was Fridays from noon to 6:00 only. Oh, and no lockbox. The agent had to meet us there.
Leave your aggressive dogs loose in the house. I only have one, and he is part of the family. Well if you do not want a new back yard for Rover to run go right ahead. The buyers and the other agent won’t mind getting jumped on, he's actually more bark than bite. And while you're leaving the aggressive dog loose in the house, be sure to ignore the litter box. People love kitties. Social media proves that. I barely notice the smell, I’m sure they won't mind.
List it for 35% more than any similar house in your market. You know quality, you even used extra heavy duty nails on the remodel. Buyers will be more than happy to pay over appraised value because it is just that great a house. You think I’m kidding? Have a look at the expired listings sometime. Any one of these might kill a sale, hence “Deadly Mistakes” and I hope you get the point. If these are the most deadly mistakes, perhaps you might want to do the opposite to accomplish your real estate goals. Before you list, you should definitely consult with an experienced agent, like me who has a record of selling home for an average of over 98% of list price for over ten years.
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