1. Not Taking You First Offer Seriously. It isn’t always the case, but in general, the first offer tends to be the highest. Perhaps not right off the bat, but try countering the offer. You may be able to move the conversation to a place that doesn’t make you completely nauseous.
2. Offering Credits For Repairs. You’ll almost always get more than a full return on basic enhancements. Carpet and paint is where I see this most often. Also, recent change to the Settlement Procedures Act make is very difficult to offer credit in a legal way. The lender would rather see a price reduction, and the buyer – especially first timers – won’t have the cash on hand to make repairs after closing.
3. Making Highly Personal Design Decisions. You may love the custom mural of that NASCAR legend painted on your bonus room wall, but I can assure you, the buyer will not. Neutrals and low-maintenance and the key to appealing to the widest audience.
4. Overpricing. Pricing your home correctly the first time will garner you the most attention and the highest offers. Overpricnig initially will increase your days on the market, decrease the amount of requested showings, and make the house look shopworn over time.
5. Making You Home Difficult To Show. If you’ve got children or animals, it can sometimes be a pain to make accommodations for a weekday showing. When agents schedule showings they’ve already taken the time to line up specific homes in a specific neighborhood in a specific order. The next time that buyer is out looking, they’ll likely be touring on the other side of town. They will have moved on. If you decline a showing, odds are that buyer will never come back. No one will buy a house they haven’t seen.
6. Odors. Whether it’s pets, cigarette smoke, or over the top potpourri, nothing will turn a buyer off faster than the smell when they initially walk into a house. It’s subliminal and powerful.
7. Clutter. Toys in the playroom, dishes in the sink, toiletries on the countertops, even overstuffed closets will make the buyer feel that the house isn’t sanitary and doesn’t have enough storage. My mentor said it best- “You don’t live in a house the way you sell it.” Take the time to declutter and straighten up everyday before you leave for work.
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