Jeff YEP all of those can quickly turnoff a Buyer.  For me "smells" and "clutter" is a real quick turnoff

Nice image choice for the "access" portion of your post.   We have seen some bad pictures of homes on the market. I wonder why would anyone take the picture, let alone post it. 

And this is just the beginning!  Once under contract, there are even more ways sellers can sabotage themselves.  You'll need to do a Part II to this post!

Great ideas and great blog, Jeff Dowler .  I am sure you probably post this in your website as a reference tool as well.

 It makes no difference if you are selling in California or Maryland these 7 points are well... point on.  Great advice shared by a true professional. Good job.

Hi Jeff, this is a feature worthy post. These are all sure ways to sabotage a sale, regardless of the price point, homes should be inviting and that starts with pricing. Awesome post!

Good evening Jeff. Nice summary of points needing attention before the listing goes live. Enjoy your evening 

Jeff Dowler and another oustanding post...excellent tips for sellers!

Jeff

Your post is right on point . . . . Sad to say sales are lost every day that can be prevented.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Jeff- sellers need to read this! Just the other day I recommended a client check repair her sliding glass doors and their locks. Buyer's need to be able to go out to see that beautiful yard you're selling.  Well done, Jeff!

Good morning Jeff.  I think the smells and not cleaning the home are two major factors that cost the sellers

This is excellent advice to share with prospective home sellers.

Ah yes...the famous stand on a price that the market rejects....the high cost of being wrong !

Oh, what a great list, Jeff!  And, access is one of those pet peeves for me - the sellers have no clue how their agents are handling things on the back-end and this is one that often falls through the cracks.  I don't understand making it so difficult to access a property that you really do want to SELL!  ;-)  

All excellent points and I also think that you had your points rated in the right order also.

Good morning Jeff. Bulls eye - great post. All these matter. That's why I run a check list with all clients with preparing a home for sale before listing. A little bit like a pilot before take off.

Excellent article, well written and argued.  And it still amazes me why some sellers just can't see it.  Just because they love it the way it is doesn't mean anyone else will.

Nicely done Jeff

Very well said Jeff Dowler and a great featured post...I do hope sellers do read & comprehend it too!

It can be a fine line between cluttered and seemingly empty. Agents who act as skilled stagers can provide amazing results by breathing new life into a property with a fresh coat of paint and a few aesthetic improvements. 

Jeff what a great and to the point article! I know many sellers as well as agents can and will find benefits from it. You can be assured I will pass it on!!

Thanks!

Excellent advice for anyone looking to sell their home.  It's easy for sellers to get used to their homes, the everyday smells, and their pets and forgetting what it's like to be in a buyers shoes! 

Great post! I agree with all of your points. I really like how you are upfront with your comment about it being about the buyer's convenience.
P.S. I used to live in Carlsbad.

Hi Jeff Dowler, 

I think poor lighting should be added to your list, as well as window coverings and drapes that keep light out.

Right on Jeff these are all issues which need to be addressed with sellers when taking a listing.

Jeff,

This is a great post. Very much on target. This should be must reading for anyone contemplating the sale of their property!

Well said Jeff!

Except for pricing and access, the rest all fall under the category of staging. I've discussed each one of these seller mistakes with clients.  Too many sellers create seller sabotage and lose money because they have no concept of preparation and presentation.

Lots of great info, Jeff!  Sellers should pay close attention to these possible disasters and become self-aware of their actions.

YES .. to all 7, Jeff Dowler.  You'd think most would be common sense ... but if not, this points it out clearly ...

Congrats on the Feature!

Gene

Outstanding post Jeff.  Sellers really need to take your advice.

Then again, some Listing Agents, as difficult as it might be at times, need to paint a clear picture to their sellers before placing the home on the market.

Thanks again for the post.

Hi Jeff - Excellent advice for home sellers - and getting these items right can make a difference of thousands of dollars, or even in the success of the sale itself.

Good evening Jeff Dowler,

Congratulations on a well deserved featured post! Great post and sellers definitely need to be reading this post!

Jeff, you hit a bulls eye on this post. I do not see one item I would diminish in importance.

Seller's should all read and understand and operate under the guidelines you give for a successful sale of the property.

Love your post.  Wish all sellers would see this one.

Jeff, Great information. It puzzles me why some realtors dont take professional photos since that is how buyers first see the home,. I staged a home 3 weeks ago that the realtor still hasn't updated the photos on. Needless to say the homeowner is very frustrated.

Dear Jeff,

Smells are definitely up there for most of my clients, although some are not deterred, because they are not keeping the pink carpet & brown, flowery curtains anyhow.

Well done - all are delicate issues to take up with some Sellers and not a problem at all for others. These issues still need to be addressed regardless but perhaps how they are brought up will make the difference for the Sellers. Thank you for such a well written post.

This is a great blog to educate sellers, Jeff! I've bookmarked it to share.

Great post Jeff Dowler!  Can't argue with any of it; it's all common sense, really.  That said, executing some of these with your clients can be another story!

Love your main picture at the top Jeff Dowler. It made me laugh. But sadly, I've seen plenty of homes just like that. Preparing a home for sale should start the day it's purchased by keeping it organized and in good repair as much as possible. Every home will eventually be sold, so keep up with everything and having it ready to sell will be much easier. 

Sending this to my sellers who are sabotaging their own deals. Not that there are many, but when they're doing it, they're doing it with a vengeance!!!

Well written and accurate. Good tool for educating sellers. Thank you Jeff!

Sellers are the keys to the listings...inventory is everything. It is an honor, privilege to serve them not scold them. If they want over the market value, don't take the listing. Be the next agent that does sell the property. Think about if you were the seller keeping the place red alert ready to show within minutes, an hour and after the late to the appointment showing with their kids like spider monkeys climbing up the bookcase, slamming closet doors, you ask how did they like it? And get a response oh they haven't been to the bank but doubt they can buy... would you consider rent to own? (Groan)

Great tips!!!

No one will deny that getting a house ready for sale, and then going through the process of showings until you have a contract, is easy. It’s downright tough! But beware of these subtle, and perhaps not so subtle, traps that may keep you in your home instead of getting to closing and moving on with your life.

Jeff Dowler You hit the nail on the head with this one.  Congratulations on the feature.

So many points to take into consideration when selling your home.  The smoking one, in particular, drives me crazy.  Maybe I am just over-sensitive to it, but most buyers I have taken in to homes like this will agree.

Jeff, this post is fantastic. The access issue is often overlooked, but it's huge.

Too much furniture and full of knick knacks is my pet peeve.  Having to blaze your own trail through a showing is not helpful. 

All 7 are right on! It is so important to get them all right before rushing to get the home on the market.

Congratulations on a well deserved Feature Post.  You hit the bullseye on all points. 

All points are very good. In my opinion our sense of Smell is extremely important. 

Love it.  All great points, yet often missed by both homeowners and sometimes agents.

You've got the talent to be a content generator, Jeff, for online websites. This is pretty good stuff, and the title is very catchy! Have you thought about doing that in your spare time? I do it, and you know I don't really have any spare time, LOL.

All good points, and I love the photo. I've been in houses just like that one! 

All these things will most definitely make it more difficult to sell your home. That's why it's important to hire a knowledgeable Realtor® such as yourself who can get that home sold for the most money.

Well written and great advice for sellers.

Jeff,  Access is huge. It won't sell if people cannot see it ... regardless of the condition.  My market remains hot. I submitted an offer on a home listed at $669,000.  I am told by the listing agent that it sold for over $750,000. No comps to support that ... highest comp was $680,000.  Another home that has been on the market since July 13, 2016 ... is over-priced and sellers will only show between 2 and 4 pm on Sunday.  The price has been reduced and it is now a short sale.  There are ways to sabotage the sale of a home. 

A little because I love the beaches down there.  But I absolutely love being in Ocean Shores, WA.  Housing is so much cheaper, I am at the beach, I lovemy church and work.....I would not want to leave this place.  But I love being from Southern California.

Jeff Dowler - this one, not only bookmarked, saved in my 'seller's advice' folder.

Sometimes taking care of such things is simple - it's just that most sellers feel it's not their job.

Selling a home is a teamwork - as we work on marketing the home, the seller needs to work on all these items.

Jeff Dowler "It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyhow - pricing your home may be one of the most important things you must do to get your home sold. And if you hold out for a price that just does not reflect the local market conditions and demand, and in light of other issues like condition and location, you are sabotaging your sale"

Right on target - and - re-blog!

The funny thing for me is that my very first listing had all these problems, except for the crappy photos (although I could only take a few of the outside). I took the listing anyway because it was my first, but I learned so much from that listing about what types of listings not to accept!

Jeff Dowler there are so many good points in this article! I've seen so many homes fail to sell for basic reasons like refusing to clean up or leaving the five barking, vicious dogs in the back yard. It seems some people just aren't concerned about actually selling!

Jeff Dowler Really enjoyed reading your post.  All great points and worthy of sharing with anyone who is thinking of selling their home.  I appreciate the time you took to provide this valuable information. Definitely worthy of a Feature!  

Jeff Dowler These are very important tips to void when selling a home.

You nailed it here...pretty comprehensive coverage of Three Ps of Selling a Home...Pricing, Preparation, Presentation!  Cleanliness costs very little but the ROI can be tremendous!

Great posting.  If only sellers would absorb this knowledge!  I find some of these points a real challenge with sellers , expecially wanting to overprice their homes (irregardless of appraisal, market, comps)  - it makes it so hard and then weeks later with no offers, they "forget" we had the conversation.  I've now incorporated a document within our listing appointment addressing price changes.  :)

Great post.  Saving this one to re-blog if you don't mind. -Kasey

Hi Jeff,
Great post.  I always love the seller's strategy to price the home based on what they "need" to get into a new home (and pay off their debt).   Like that has anything to do with value.