Top 6 Ways to Sabotage the Sale of Your Princeton Home
The most common reasons that a house will not sell in a good market are often well within the control of the home seller according to a recent survey by the ActiveRain online real estate community. In a poll of over 1,000 real estate nationwide agents, it was revealed that the top six ways home sellers turn potential home buyers away are:
1. The home is overpriced 2. It is difficult to set a showing time 3. The seller is unwilling to depersonalize or declutter the home 4. Unpleasant odors 5. The seller is unwilling to negotiate with buyers 6. The seller refuses to make repairs
Princeton Area Sellers Make the Same Mistakes
I can completely confirms that these same findings hold true for homes in the Princeton area. It is up to the agent to educate the seller on aspects of the home selling process that can instantly turn off a potential buyer. However, some sellers get on the defensive when you point out pets, odors, and housekeeping, so it is a very fine line to walk!
There was a time when I was only 5 minutes late for her scheduled showing time with an out of town buyer and the seller refused to let us in! This gave it a whole new meaning to my mantra ; "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." When agents schedule appointments it is only an approximate time. Also, don’t try to cover up cooking odors such as curry with an Airwick. For under $100 you can buy an odor neutralizing machine that will do a terrific job in reducing unpleasant smells. This especially works in musty basements. I had a seller in East Windsor last year add one to help get rid of an old musty smell that was still hanging around from Hurricane Irene.
Research Shows the Benefits of Right Pricing
When sellers think it's best to "start high and then come down if needed", they fail to understand how much this can cost them not only in time, but also money. Otteau Valuations from East Brunswick NJ conducted 2 extensive studies on this topic based on 4500 NJ homes. They found a seller who overprices to start with will end up selling for 2-5% less than they would if they had priced their home at market value. They are guaranteed to extend the length of time it take to sell in addition to the reduced price they will receive.
Let Me Show You How to Avoid These Mistakes
I wish stories like this weren’t common in my line of work. A good real estate agent spends plenty of time with their sellers before their house ever goes on the market to avoid these expensive mistakes. That's why I always tell my home sellers the truth. If you are considering selling your Princeton NJ area home, contact me at 609-529-8107. I will help you avoid the costly mistakes that sellers make. My motto is "With You Every Step".
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