Nine Deadly Mistakes Home Sellers Make

Mistake #1. Using a real estate agent instead of a REALTOR.

When you’re looking for help selling your home, it’s important to remember that the terms “real estate agent” and “Realtor” are not synonymous. Realtors can provide an extra level of service, and to be a Realtor you must be a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The equivalent organization in Florida is the Florida Association of REALTORS (FAR). Both are non-profit trade organizations that promote real estate information, education and professional standards.

Mistake #2 Being a complacent about selling your home.

Effective marketing will help ensure that your property receives maximum exposure to attract a ready, willing and able buyer in the shortest period of time. Ask your Realtor to list all of the ways he/she intends to market your home and on what time-line. Also, be sure to ask about being advertised on the Internet and social media.

Mistake #3. Taking for granted the “curb appeal” of your home.

When you’re preparing your house for sale, remember the importance of first impressions. A buyer’s first impression can make or break whether they even want to go inside for a look. It is estimated that more than half of all houses are sold before the buyers even get out of their cars.

Mistake #4. Forgetting about health and safety issues.

Be upfront and disclose to your Realtor any problems with the property. The problems are going to be discovered anyway

Mistake #5. Forgetting what you would want to see if you were the buyer of your home.

Remember that although people can be different in personality, they tend to be the same when it comes to expectations at someone else’s expense. In other words, a prospective buyer would probably like to see a perfect home from top to bottom, inside and out, when it comes to your home.

Mistake #6. Thinking you need to be in the home to explain everything to a prospective buyer.

You will be better served if you allow your Realtor to do his or her job without you there. Most potential buyers usually feel more comfortable if they can speak freely to the real estate professional without the owners being present.

Mistake #7. Not knowing how to price your home to sell.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of selling a home is listing it at the correct price. It’s one of several areas where the assistance of a skilled real estate agent can more than pay for itself. Listing your home too high can be as bad as too low. If the listing price is too high, you’ll miss out on a percentage of buyers looking in the price range where your home should be. There is a major flaw in thinking that you’ll always have the opportunity to accept a lower offer.

Mistake #8. Not planning your move earlier enough.

Many sellers simply don’t plan their move early enough and then feel totally overwhelmed at the time of moving out of the house. If you are able to move at any time of the year, don’t wait until summer, typically the peak moving season. Consider also that the first and last few days of the month are extra busy. If you plan to sell your house, get it on the market as soon as possible.

Mistake #9. Using a “convenient” Realtor rather than an experienced Realtor.

When working with a real estate agent, it’s critical that you have full confidence in that Realtor’s experience and education. A skilled, knowledgeable agent should be able to explain to you exactly why your home needs to be priced at a certain level - compared to recent listings and sales of homes similar to yours. Experienced agents also know exactly what sales of homes the current pool of buyers are looking for in relation to particular styles and price ranges of properties.