Hey Northeast Seattle.  In today's competitive real estate market you need to be savvy to sell a home.  Gone are the days of putting a sign up in the front yard and a home sells in a few days.  (Just ask  the 25% of agents in Washington who gave up their licenses so far in 2008)  Knowledge of the local market and trends are essential.  Northeast Seattle is one of the best markets in the area and still there are mistakes you simply cannot make.  Here are the top 5 most common mistakes that seller's make, that end up costing them thousands.

#1           Overpricing a home - This is the single biggest mistake home sellers and inexperienced agents make.  Price is king.  If you price a home incorrectly the market will punish you.   There is no way to outsmart the market to get more for your home.   Buyer's are smart.  If you overprice the home, it will sit.  You will have to reduce your price and it will cost you money.

#2           Not using a lot of professional photographs - It is estimated that between 90 and 95 percent of all home buyers start their search on the internet.  It is also the first thing agents go to when trying to find a home for their buyers.   If the price is in a certain range the next step is to check out the pictures.  A buyer will on average scan hundreds of homes before choosing to buy.  If you don't catch their attention in the first few seconds they are gone.  Professional photos are the best way to show the home in the best light and get them to want to come see it in person.

#3           Not having a home in top shape to show -  Whether the home is vacant or occupied the house needs to be immaculate when buyers come to see it.  Personal effects clutter and unkempt lawns sometimes have buyer's not even wanting to get out of the car.  Walking into a home that someone else is clearly living in with personal effects all over is also intimidating.  De-clutter, depersonalize and minimize the contents if you are going to be in the home while it sells.  My rule of thumb is if you aren't going to need it in the next six months, it goes in storage . 

If the house is going to be vacant, then it needs to be at least minimally staged.  Stagers are geniuses at maximizing the appeal of a home with color, furniture and light.  I can't tell you how many times a vacant home does not sell only to come off the market, receive staging, come back on the market and sell immediately. 

#4           Offering less than 3% commission for an agent who finds a buyer -  I would love to tell you that all agents are completely ethical and treat all listings the same, but we don't' live in a fantasy world.  The truth is that there are at least some agents who will not show a home to their clients unless they know they are getting a full 3% commission for selling the home.  Less agents, means less buyers.  Unfortunately, less buyers means more time to sell a home and for usually less money. 

#5           Inflexibility with showing the home -  If you are going to be occupying the home while you are selling it, make every effort to be as accommodating to agents and potential buyers as possible.  If your agent comments state that the home has a day sleeper, please allow 24 hours to show, or showings by appointment only, many buyers will pass right by.  Not only that, fewer agents will preview the property.  You need to make the switch in your head from being a home owner to being a home seller.  The buyer is now in charge and everything you can do to make it easier for them to come see your home, the more likely they are to do so.