When putting your home or a house you just renovated up for sale, it can be easy to get lost in the excitement and make a series of missteps. When you find yourself unable to close a sale despite having all your ducks in a row—prime location, a well-kept property, and ideal market conditions—you may be making these home selling mistakes turning potential buyers off.
Sticking Around During the Open House
During an open house, it’s tempting to keep an eye on how things are going—you probably want to eavesdrop on buyers’ comments and criticism. If you’re selling your home, a house you lived in for years and have fond memories in, it’s perfectly natural to be defensive and hover as potential buyers walk around the house.
If a buyer knows the seller is there, they might feel uncomfortable asking the listing agent honest questions about the house, which in turn means they’ll never feel comfortable about making a final purchase decision.
Keeping Pets Around During the Open House
Having pets around as potential buyers check out the property is a bad idea for several reasons.
For one, there are a lot of people who—believe it or not—dislike or are even terrified of pets like dogs and cats. And if you have a buyer with a dog or cat allergy, do you really want your pet to be the cause of a botched sale? Do yourself and your buyers a favor by keeping your pets away from them during an open house.
Pricing the Home Too High
It’s only natural to want to get the highest price you can get from your home. But what usually happens is that sellers have too large a number in their mind for the house, completely ignoring its fair market value. And despite the number of additions and renovations you made to the property, there’s no guarantee these changes will boost your home’s value. In fact, they might only make it harder to attract buyers.
Bottom line? Get a realistic appraisal of your home’s value before you make any renovations. It won’t hurt to consult a realtor for a list of home improvement projects that buyers in your neighborhood will be happy to pay extra for.
Being Stubborn with the Price
Price is often the biggest factor why a house doesn’t sell. Put aside your hubris and always be willing to negotiate. After you’ve received an appraisal of your home, try to pad your selling price to account for upgrades like new appliances, new hardware, and other new additions.
However, refusing to compromise and budge during negotiations means that your home will have to stay on the market. And the longer this happens, the more potential buyers will think something is wrong with it.
Poor Maintenance
Sure, it probably goes without saying that a house should be impeccably maintained for potential buyers, but you’d be surprised just how many sellers neglect things like clutter in shelves, untidy cabinets, random trinkets lying about, and religious paraphernalia among others. Your listing agent will have opinions on how to stage a property—you’d be wise to listen.
If you have a home or property you just want to sell right away with no fuss or frills, you can sell it as is to Blue Hen Homebuyers and still turn a modest profit. We buy all kinds of homes, regardless of their age or condition. Call our offices today at 910-802-2222 to learn more about how we can help you.