Just like buying your first home, selling your home in Locust Grove (or anywhere for that matter) can also be a learning process. It is interesting to be on the other side of the fence as a seller and see everything from a different point of view. First time sellers are prone to make a few mistakes as they learn; take this opportunity to learn from sellers that have gone before you. As a REALTOR® I have helped many families make a move. Here are some common mistakes I’ve come across that you want to avoid when selling your home in Locust Grove.
Pricing According to Emotions and not Facts
Can I be blunt and honest with you for a moment? It doesn’t matter what you think your home is worth and buyers don’t care either. Home list prices are based on the market value of your home. This value is determined by evaluating current market conditions, comparing your home to similar ones that just sold, and taking into consideration the condition and any home value increasing updates. Sometimes first time sellers put more value on their homes because of their emotional connections to it. While your home may be meaningful to you because of the events that occurred in it or the color you painted the wall, that meaning doesn’t transfer into a home valuation.
Curious to know what your home in Locust Grove is worth? Find out with a free personal valuation.
The price your REALTOR® recommends is based on the current market value. If you want your home to sell in line with the average days on the market, then price it at this recommendation. If you want to sell it quickly, then price it below the recommendation. If you need to get as much out of your home in Locust Grove as possible, you can price it at the highest point of your agent’s recommendation, but know that it will be on the market for longer and you may not get full price offers.
Not Decluttering
Decluttering your home in Locust Grove is an important step to upping it’s appeal. Take your REALTOR’s® suggestions about thinning out furniture pieces, clearing out closets, or rearranging rooms. These suggestions are based on highlighting the features of your home and helping buyers see themselves in the space.
Buyers also open closets, so planning to just stash everything in a closet only results in giving buyers the impression that you home lacks storage space, even if it really does not.
Taking time to declutter is also a bonus for you because you won’t drag everything to your new home.
Canceling Showings
Having sold personal homes many times, I understand that last minute showing requests can be inconvenient. You’ve just decided to spend a quiet evening at home when a request happens. Although you don’t want to leave your home in Locust Grove, approving the showing only provides an opportunity for an offer.
If buyers want to see your home in person, say yes! If you have a serious reason for denying the showing request, like your little one has a stomach bug or grandma is in from out of town, communicate these reasons with your REALTOR® and offer alternative times for the buyers to see your home.
Leaving Known Repairs for Later
If you can hear the dripping faucet in the kitchen, then so can buyers. Make a serious effort to repair any known items before your home in Locust Grove goes on the market. Although to you they may feel like little annoyances that you can deal with later, to a buyer these things may cause them to question how well the home has been maintained.
Rejecting a great offer
Wait…what? Sometimes if a great offer comes in a few days after the property is listed it can cause sellers to second guess themselves. Is our list price for our home too low? Are these buyers serious? Sometimes in real estate all the stars align properly and with great marketing and pricing, it doesn’t take long to receive an offer. If the offer is agreeable to you, why not accept it?
Learning from other’s mistakes can make your home selling journey smoother. When you are ready to get your home on the market, contact me to chat.
