6 Home Selling Mistakes to Avoid
Buying and selling real estate isn’t easy. Most people do it only a handful of times in their life and the process can be long, draining and emotional. Currently, the Denver area is a very seller-friendly market with low inventory and high prices. It’s easy to get overconfident and list your home as-is, but avoiding these home selling don’ts can increase your bottom-line.
Here are our 6 home-selling mistakes to avoid:
Don’t sell it yourself
You may be a DIY master but this isn’t the time to practice your skills. Real estate is a unique world full of acronyms, negotiations and documents you are likely not familiar with. Using a Realtor® will keep you on track. Not to mention, a Realtor® will manage negotiations and communications with the buyer’s agent, invest personal funds (depending on the contract agreement) into marketing and be there to guide you through every offer and signature.
Don’t overprice it
You know how much you paid for the house, how much you still owe and how much you invested, but we know how much it will sell for in the current market. In the Denver area today there is low inventory and houses are still selling quickly, but they have to be priced correctly. A good Realtor® will run a comparative market analysis and help you price your home in the sweet spot.
Don’t rush it
The more time you can give yourself and your agent to prepare your home for selling, the less stressed and better off you will be. If possible, contact a Realtor® about a month out from when you are hoping to have your home listed. This will allow time for meetings, projects and creating marketing materials to make your house shine when it’s listed.
Don’t ignore projects
Little projects you’ve been ignoring for years may be big no-nos for a buyer. Walk through your home with your Realtor® and get a to-do list. You don’t want to lose a sale because you haven’t painted the baseboard in your new kitchen yet! It’s better to face home projects head on then end up in a negotiation war later.
Don’t be emotional
It’s your home and it’s hard to say goodbye, but the selling process is not the time or place for emotions to be involved. Do you best to stay rational and practical as you prepare your home for sale. You’ll have to neutralize your home which means painting over bright colors, removing decorations and more. This isn’t a personal attack on your design aesthetic, it’s a strategy for making your home one buyers will love.
Don’t be stubborn
The buyer holds most of the cards in real estate negotiations and you want to keep them happy. Deals can fall apart because sellers aren’t willing to leave the window coverings or fix a small inspection issue. Don’t lose a deal over something small, it’ll end up costing you in the long run. If what a buyer asks for is within your budget just say yes, it’s generally not worth the hassle of starting again.
If you’re ready to start the listing process, contact us today! We have years of experience in the Denver market and are house sale experts.