How Not to Sabotage Your Own Sale
This is the logical compliment to our first article concerning how not to sabotage your own offer/purchase. And again, I will alert the reader that the list I’m offering is far from complete – but it’s a good start.
1. A property will get the most attention when it is new to the market. That’s why it’s important to price your property fairly from the start – that is, in line with comparable homes in the neighborhood with comparable amenities. Realtors know that it is common for homeowners to think that their home is very special and is worth more than the similar home down the block. Too many homeowners focus on their property’s good qualities and ignore the flaws. If a home is not priced well, it will “languish on the market” for long periods and not get much attention, as brokers in the area know it is not reasonably priced.
2. Be sure your home has internet exposure, and signage if possible advertising the sale. A good broker will be sure to prioritize this.
3. The home should “show well.” This means it should be clean and uncluttered. If it’s affordable, professional stagers will know how to optimize your home’s appearance – magnifying its strengths, while diminishing its weaknesses. Be sure to remedy any serious blemishes. Have it painted, keep up with your landscaping, and fix anything that isn’t functioning properly.
4. A good broker will be sure to have your home photographed in the most complimentary manner, taking into consideration angles and light among other variables.
5. The seller should not be at the property during a showing. Many sellers cannot limit themselves to silence or animated expressions. This only serves to annoy the buyers, as they will find it difficult to speak with each other openly which would create a negative experience. Buyers want privacy – not an awkward situation.
6. It is important to make your property as accessible as possible. Properties that don’t require 24 or 48-hour notice will sell faster. So, try to be flexible even if a buyer wants to see your property at a time that is not convenient for you - do your very best to accommodate them. It’s usually a mistake to offer a different day or timeframe. There is no guarantee that the buyers will come back.
7. Because you may have done renovations according to your taste, don’t expect to tack the full price of those renovations onto the sale price. It doesn’t work that way.
8. Be willing to negotiate. The buyer, for example, may request that some repairs be made at the owner’s expense, or the home inspection may turn up a hidden flaw.
9. Finally, not everyone is an animal lover. There people who’ve had bad experiences and harbor fears of pets. Many others have allergies to dogs or cats. Also, although owners with pets are used to it, there is sometimes a foul smell in a home with one or more pets. These factors can hinder the viewing experience for the buyer. Therefore, before a showing try to remove the pets from the home, clean what needs to be cleaned, use a lint roller and an air freshener. If you follow these simple tips you’ll be off to a good start. To summarize, always remember that you are likely to have an emotional attachment to your home, while the buyer is likely to be more calculating and more objective. Be reasonable and flexible, keep up with repairs, keep the place clean, and trust your broker to do the selling – a tenant of a home is always the worst salesperson.