Selling a home can be one of the most important and emotional episodes of anyone’s life.  Because of this, it’s easy to make mistakes that may cost money.  Here are five key mistakes to avoid:

Mistake #1:  Not pricing for today’s market.

By far, the biggest mistake a seller can make is to not pay strict attention to where they price their property in terms of the marketplace.  What happens far too often is that a seller invites a real estate agent in, the agent tells them what the price should be, and the seller argues and insists on listing for a higher price.

When you price above market value because you feel your home is worth more, you are only inviting disaster.  You may win the initial negotiation with your agent, but you may lose by having people walk away when they realize your home doesn’t match market value.

The most important time to price your home correctly is when it first goes on the market, so price it right the first time.

Mistake #2: Not getting the home ready to put on the market.

How a home is lived in and how a home is marketed are two totally different pictures.  For example, it is critically important for a seller to walk through the home and remove anything that’s cluttering up the rooms.

When we get comfortable in our homes, sometimes we miss how many things we’ve collected over the years.  When you look at your home from a merchandising perspective, you see that less is more.

Mistake #3:  Making it impossible for people to see the home.

Too many sellers want to show their home at their own convenience.  They demand a lot of notice time from the agent.  The reality is that if you’re serious about selling your home, you’ll make it available at a moment’s notice.

Shoppers shop when they’re in the mood to shop—not always when the seller is in the mood to show.  Smart sellers want buyers to see the property as fast as possible before they find another one that they like better.  That’s why they make their homes available for showings at almost any time.

Mistake #4: Refusing to consider offers that are not full price.

Most buyers like to negotiate in hopes of getting a little bit of a better deal than what the seller is asking on the sales price.  It’s a fact of life.  Don’t try to fight it.

Negotiation is an important part of the process.  By limiting yourself to look only at full price offers, you may miss the one that gets your home sold.

Mistake #5: Frustrating the pending-to-closing process.

Once the seller has an accepted offer, they often frustrate the sale by being difficult because they figure the hard part is over.  When a building inspector or appraiser wants to come by, they may be unavailable.  Instead of finding these post-offer tasks invasive, sellers should welcome them because many deals haven’t closed because sellers were uncooperative on these issues.

If you’re selling in today’s market, avoid these mistakes.  When you do, your home will sell much faster.

Want more tips for a quick sale?  Just call me at (206) 412-0038 or send an email to mparks@windermere.com.  I’ll show you exactly how to get the ball rolling.