Even in a seller’s market, selling a house is a lengthy process, and unless you’ve done it before, there can be quite a learning curve. You’ve probably already researched a few things that you absolutely should do when you’re selling your home — such as hosting open houses and giving the interior a thorough cleaning — but you could also inadvertently be doing some things to impede a potential sale. Check this list of things to avoid while you’re selling your home.
- Don’t Put Off Maintenance
If you’re selling it anyway, why take the time to keep mowing the grass? Why should you fix that torn screen now or paint the guest bedroom? It might seem wasteful to put time and energy into maintaining or fixing up a house you don’t plan to be living in anymore, but unless they’re buying it “as is” the prospective owners don’t want to inherit all of those “quirks” and to-dos. By taking on these projects now, you’re adding value to your house and making it a more attractive possibility. Just think: Would you rather buy a beautiful home ready for a painless move-in, or one that needs a week of cleaning, sprucing, and fixing first?
- Don’t Make Emotional Decisions
You’ve spent years in your house, maybe even watched your children grow up there. A few tears here and there is normal. But it’s helpful to keep your sentiments in check while making decisions such as your asking price and who you’ll to sell to. Instead of spending weeks or months searching for “the prefect family” who should pay what you think years of memories are worth, think of your home as property that you need to sell. Try not to get too worked up over low offers, especially if you’re selling as-is. Investors have to buy for profit.
- Don’t Say Too Much But Don’t Lie Either
Typically the longer a house stays on the market the more dollars out of your pocket. So when speaking with prospective buyers try not to complain about how long you’ve been trying to sell — it could hurt your bargaining position. Don’t feel the need to share every thing you’ve done to the house. If you spent $5,000 on a new concrete driveway or $14,000 remodeling the kitchen, you don’t necessarily need to get into figures. The recent upgrades are already part of the home’s valuation, and the dollars and cents won’t necessarily make the buyer any more inclined to purchase. That being said, honesty is always the best policy. If you try to hide known problems conceal problems you’re probably opening yourself up to a host of liabilities. The buyer will most likely get a home inspection anyway and uncover the truth (and the egg all over your face).