D.C. Home Seller Mistakes to Avoid
When selling your home it is important to make sure you don’t allow your emotions to take over. Emotional decisions can cause you to make mistakes that you will regret. To avoid putting yourself in in this position, read our top four home seller mistakes so you know what to prepare for.
Snowball Effect
Everyone knows selling your home is stressful, especially when it sits on the market for awhile. This is the when you begin to question yourself about the price. Will it ever sell? Will you only get low ball offers? At this point the snowball effect kicks in. As the time continues to pass and your home is not sold, your anxiety builds. This is the time to look for your real estate agent’s advice of when to lower the price and to what amount.
Not Letting Go
The thought of leaving your home can be difficult when you realize the finality of the process. Most likely this has been the place that many happy times and “firsts” have happened. However, when selling and marketing your home it is important to focus on your home being an asset that you must sell. This will mean that you may not be able to price it as high as you want because the market does not support the price. You may also need to make repairs to the home during negotiations. You will need to consider all of these things when selling your home.
Not Drawing in the Right Buyers
You need to market your home to the right home buyers. In other words, you need to know what “musts” or “wants” your homebuyers are looking for. If you are selling a condo in the city that is close to the subway make sure you list this. Also consider paying a few months of condo fees to bring more people in. If your home is a great family home in a perfect school district and neighborhood make sure you highlight this.
Thinking Your Home is Sold Before it Is
It is tempting to think that once your home is under contract it is sold; but this is not always true. There are many reasons a sale could fall through, which is why real estate agents recommend not thinking this way until the closing. To avoid having any negative effects make sure the home is clean and you keep your finances in order until the closing.
Selling your home is one of life’s more stressful events and can be made to be even more stressful if you make these mistakes. Making sure you leave your emotions out of the sale and keeping an open mind can make the process easier. As you prepare to sell your home, take the time to think through the process and avoid these common home seller mistakes.