Selling your home is never easy; there are dozens of factors that determine how marketable your home is, from location to construction. Many of these things are out of your control.
Even when it comes to things you do have control over, there are a lot of ways that home sellers end up undermining their own success.
These home marketing mistakes can be devastating, especially if they pile up–making one or two errors is bad enough, but some sellers make so many mistakes that their otherwise lovely home becomes unmarketable.
If you want to sell your home quickly and at a reasonable price, you need to know which home marketing mistakes to avoid. Read on to learn five of the most common ones.
1. Setting the Wrong Price
This is by far the most common mistake people make when selling a home. Many people overprice their homes, which drastically decreases the odds of finding a buyer.
It’s an easy trap to fall into, especially if you have a large house. Homes for families–ones with several bedrooms, located near good schools–tend to fetch a higher price. Asking too much is just shooting yourself in the foot, though.
2. A Bad Time to Sell
When it comes to real estate, timing is everything. There are certain periods of the year when people simply aren’t going to be looking for houses. You need to determine the best time to sell for your area.
Here’s a hint: people are more likely to move when the weather is nice. No one wants to carry furniture and boxes through ice and snow.
3. Avoiding Repairs
Nothing turns potential home buyers off faster than finding damage, even if it seems insignificant to you. After all, if you let a broken doorknob slide in this room, what bigger problems might you be ignoring elsewhere?
If you don’t want your marketing open houses to be dominated by questions about leaky faucets and the like, do your repairs–even small ones–before putting your house on the market.
4. Ignoring Prep Work
It’s not enough for your home to be in working order; it needs to look great, too. Clean it up, add some fresh paint–do whatever you can think of to improve your home’s look.
If you’re marketing homes online, make sure your pictures look nice. Get a good camera and adequate lighting. Don’t just snap a couple of pictures on your phone; put effort into it. Buyers will appreciate that you did.
5. Letting Emotions Take Over
Selling your home may come with complex emotions. You likely have a lot of memories there; that’s understandable, but it can also get in the way of making a good sale.
Too often, people shoot down a good offer because of an emotional reaction. If you can control your emotions, you’re more likely to sell at the right time and for the right price.
Avoid Costly Home Marketing Mistakes
Even if you’re selling an amazing house, home marketing mistakes can ruin your chances of making a sale. Potential home buyers will be quick to notice these issues, costing you time and money, so be sure to avoid them.
Do you need to make a few repairs before putting your house on the market? Visit our home improvement blog for more advice!
