Selling your home is an emotional, crazy, expensive and high-stakes process at the best of times. Each home sale also contains a journey that is unique to each individual.
While you might not quite know what will come up during the process, you can manage you own actions and expectations to make the selling process work to your benefit. Check out the following tips and avoid these mistakes when selling your home.
Don’t: overprice.
It’s tempting to try to get the most out of your home. It’s most likely worth over 6 figures – more than anything else you own! It’s where you have created memories. It’s probably in great shape now due to more than a little of your elbow grease, and a good amount of investment into maintenance and upgrades. When you start adding up all you’ve put into your house, you may end up with one number… but your agent tells you another. Most sellers want to go with their original figure, or else split the difference. But the initial price could determine how long your house sits on the market. A house that’s overpriced will turn off buyers. And the longer your house is on the market, the more buyers will wonder why it hasn’t sold. It might sound counter-intuitive, but to sell quickly and at a higher price, you should price you home competitively.
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Don’t: ignore marketing.
No, your Christmas snapshots probably aren’t the best way to market your home. Sorry! Your agent should take up-to-date photos, or hire a professional photographer to get the shots. Marketing photos should be free of personalized items, like laundry, shampoo bottles, or the giant, light-up beer sign leftover from your college days. A good clean out and a good eye for photography will help show your house in the best light. And don’t forget to keep the house looking great when you show it – both during open houses and showings.
Don’t: put off fixing things.
Everyone has a long list of things we’ve meant to get to around the house, one of these days. Well, that day is now! If you notice a hinge is coming off the bathroom door, a potential buyer will notice that too. It’s tempting to not want to invest much money in a home you’re trying to sell, but small fixes that give the impression your home is move-in ready can help convince buyers to make offers – and to offer their top price when they’re not adding up the cost of repairs in their head.
Don’t: Take it personally.
Your home IS personal. For most people, it’s one of the most personal things about you. It displays your personality, houses all of your possessions, and is where you’ve spent the majority of your time for however long you’ve lived there. Just allowing people in to examine the size of your closets when you’re not home can feel kind of violating. But the actually selling part? Is a business transaction. Everyone wants to make out well. When a buyer puts an offer in on your home, it’s because they like it in some way. They don’t want to pay more than they have to. And you don’t want to let it go for less than you have to. But don’t let a hugely valuable deal slip through your fingers because of hurt feelings or minor issues. Relax and remember that business isn’t personal!
Unfortunately, there’s a lot that can go wrong with home selling – some of it outside of the seller’s control. But by keeping these tips in mind, and working with an experienced selling agent, you can make the process as smooth as possible!
If you are ready to sell your Philadelphia home, please contact me to see how I can make your property stand out. And remember: friends don’t let friends buy or sell homes without Agent Lady!
About Agent Lady: Cherise Wynne is a leading real estate agent in Philadelphia, helping home buyers and sellers navigate the City of Brotherly Love, with a special focus on first time home buyers. To chat about getting started with your first time home buying experience, click here.
