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10 Mistakes People Make When Selling Their House

Published on February 29, 2016 by Danko Puskaric in News, Selling

If you’re thinking of selling your home, there are a lot of factors you need to consider before listing it on the market. The initial excitement you feel from putting up a ‘for sale’ sign can quickly be replaced by frustration, as months go by and you still haven’t received an offer. There are many reasons why you may struggle to sell your property. Below we’ll take a look at 10 of the most common mistakes people make when selling their house.  

Underestimating the home’s curb appeal

It’s common to put all of your time, energy and funds into making sure the inside of the home is up to scratch for potential buyers. However, so many homeowners forget that the exterior of the property is just as important as the interior. In fact, it’s the first thing potential buyers are going to see. Therefore, it’s responsible for creating that all-important first impression.

You need to make sure the garden is tidy and presentable. Mow the lawn, sweep the path and driveway and make sure there is no clutter anywhere to be found. Gardens are important to buyers so you need to make it look as attractive as you possibly can.

Setting the wrong price

Placing the wrong value on your house is going to make it extremely difficult to sell. If you set it too high, you’re really going to struggle to attract buyers; especially in today’s economy where people are looking to save as much money as possible. However, if you set it too low buyers are going to wonder why it’s offered at such a low cost and you could miss out on a lot of profit.

It’s actually pretty tough to figure out the perfect price tag as there are many factors to consider. The market value, demand, the home’s condition and area are just some of the things which will determine how much you can charge. Learn more about RICS valuation here.

Keeping personal touches around the home

When potential buyer’s come to view the house, they need to be able to picture themselves living there. If you have personal touches lying around such as photos and your own personal colour scheme, it makes it more difficult for buyers to imagine it as their own. Therefore, you need to ensure you are offering a neutral ‘blank canvas’. This means painting the walls a neutral colour and taking down any personal touches that distinguish it as your home.

Not tidying up

It’s surprising how many people don’t tidy up before a viewing. There shouldn’t be any clutter lying around the home. Yes, it’s currently being lived in, but it should still be clean and presentable. Make sure you give the floors a hoover, hide any clutter and that every part of the home is clean and tidy.

Not taking care of small, minor repairs

 

If you’re selling your house it may seem like a waste of money taking care of the small repairs. Surely that’s something the new owners should have to worry about? Unfortunately, the house may not get new owners if you haven’t made the small repairs you’ve been putting off.

These days’ buyers tend to have inspections carried out on a property before they agree to buy. Paying for any minor repairs may cost money in the short-term, but it will definitely pay off when it comes to selling the home.

Staying by the buyer’s side throughout the viewing

Whether it’s out of courtesy or wariness, sellers often tend to follow the buyer around for the entire viewing. While showing them the main areas of the home is considered polite, it’s also important to give them chance to look around the property by themselves. That way, they get a feel for the property in their own time.

Remember, on the initial viewing they don’t need to hear every last detail about the house. They simply need to be able to imagine themselves living there. The finer details can be ironed out later.

Choosing the wrong company to sell through

Obviously the first place you think to turn to when selling your home is an estate agency. However, this isn’t always the best option. When choosing a company to sell through, you need to take into account any fees that may be added on, their success rate, experience and the services they offer throughout the selling process. Estate agents aren’t always the best choice. You can choose to sell privately, or if you need a quick sale then a cash buyer may be the best option.

Using poor quality photos

These days, the majority of homes sold in the UK are placed in online listings. This means you need to include as many pictures as you can of the house. The more pictures you provide, the more chance you’ll have of selling it. However, you also need to pay attention to the quality of the photos. Never use blurry photos and make sure you’ve tidied up before taking photos of the interior of the property. These pictures need to draw in potential buyers so they need to be perfect.

Not having the carpets professionally cleaned

Carpets can make a house feel comfortable and homely. However, over time they can collect a lot of dust, become stained and cling on to nasty smells. You may not notice the smell yourself as you live there every day, but a new person coming into the home will. Therefore, having the carpets professionally cleaned is a good idea as it will give a new, fresh feel to the property.

Not realising the small details can make all of the difference

It’s often said that the small details make the biggest difference. However, it’s easy to forget this simple rule when it comes to selling your house. Rearranging the furniture, touching up the paint on the walls and adding scented candles for example, can all help to make a massive difference to the home’s interior. Don’t forget about these small yet important details as they could really help you to sell the house.

Overall these are just 10 of the most common mistakes people make when selling a house. It’s not enough to just list the property for sale; you need to put a lot of time and effort into making sure it is presentable and attractive to potential buyers. If you follow the advice above, your chances of selling quickly will be significantly increased.

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A Novice’s Guide to Selling Their House Privately Online
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Why Your Buyer Wants To Arrange a Survey and How to Prepare Your Property
About the author
Danko is IT professional with big passion about properties from young age. He is based in Manchester where he actively investing in properties and helping others to sell their houses.

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