The 5 Biggest Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Home

If youre gearing up to sell your home, youve probably read tons of articles all about what you should be doingbut what about what you shouldnt be doing? After all, selling your home is a huge financial decision, and a misstep could mean losing out on your hard-earned profit. 

Dont let something as easy to fix as not staging or pricing incorrectly throw off the success of your sale! Here are the top five mistakes to avoid when selling your home. 

Setting an Unrealistic Price

It might come as a surprise, but pricing a home is tricky. Not only do you have to take into account what homes around yours have recently sold for (or, in other words, what buyers are willing to pay), but you also need to know how to value any updates and improvements youve made. Plus, you want your home to be priced so that it pops up in as many online searches as possible. When it comes to finding that magic number, sellers emotions often cloud the ability to accurately price a home. 

So youll just use an automatic estimator, and thatll take care of things, right? Well, only if youre okay with using outdated data and not taking into account any upgrades youve made. The best way to get a price that guarantees youll maximize your investment? Enlisting the help of an experienced local agent. 

Ignoring Major Repairs (or Making the Wrong Ones)

During the inspection process, your home will be reviewed with a fine-tooth comb. Any things youve been avoiding, like leaky faucets, outdated water heaters, or water damage in the ceilings, will be noted and shared with buyers. Additionally, if there are any major necessary repairs that you didnt disclose ahead of time, you could find yourself in serious legal troubleor with a cancelled sale on your hands.

Limiting Showings & Failing to Stage

Youre selling your home, but you want to sell it on your terms. You dont want to have showings every weekend or on short notice, and you dont want to have to rearrange furniture or remove decor for staging. While changing your home or lifestyle to accommodate buyers might seem like a major hassle, being inflexible is only going to hurt you in the long run.

Buyers are going to want to see your home, sometimes more than once, and it needs to be looking its best if you want to get serious (and competitive) offers. In fact, staged homes have been shown to sell almost 90% faster and for a 20% higher profit than non-staged homes!

Letting Your Emotions Get in the Way

Youve made a lot of memories in your home, and the space likely holds indescribable value to you. So hearing people walk through the house and point out all of the flawsthen not make an offercan be draining. A good rule of thumb for selling? Think of the process as a business transaction, and think of yourself as a salesperson, not a homeowner. Creating that divide will not only improve your emotional state, but itll also help you see exactly how your home can be better than it is.

Not Hiring an Agent

Thinking of listing For Sale by Owner to avoid agent commission fees? In reality, selling FSBO can actually COST you money in the long run;. according to a 2016 study by the National Association of Realtors®, the average price for a FSBO home was around $185,000which is $60,000 less than the average price of a home listed by an agent ($245,000). 

Aside from pricing, theres a lot more that an agent can help you with. Theyll come up with a marketing plan for your home, suggest personalized staging strategies, conduct open houses and showings for you, and guide you through any problems or roadblocks along the way, all of which will take a load of work and stress off of your shoulders. 

Ready to List Your Home?

Feeling a little intimidated by the home-selling process? Dont worrywere here to help! Not only can we give you a few more pointers on what you should and shouldnt do, but well also be around to guide you through every aspect of the sale, from listing to showings to closing. 

Ready to learn a little more about what it takes to sell for top dollar? Just give our team a call to get started! 

The post The 5 Biggest Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Home appeared first on Fort Bend County Real Estate, Lifestyle and Home Maintenance Blog.