Thursday, March 12, 2015

5 Common Mistakes Made By Home Sellers

One of the most difficult things for many people is coming to terms with selling their home. Many have gotten emotionally attached over the years, and rather than looking at the home from a standpoint of how a potential buyer might view their home, they look at many aspects unrealistically. This often causes them to begin the entire process from a perspective that hurts themselves, and between this emotional attachment, greed and unrealistic desires, many homeowners put their homes on the market for more than they should, and thus inhibit the number of individuals who might offer to actually buy the house. That being said, the next five items often adversely impact the ability to optimally sell ones home, and are usually things that can, and should be easily addressed. As a Licensed Salesperson in New York State, I always advise my clients to pay attention to these easily addressed areas.

1. Avoid large displays of personal items and possessions. These include, but are not limited to: overwhelming amounts of family pictures, trophies, etc; excessive religious decor; lots of lawn decorations/ ornaments; or children's toys strewn about. Homeowners should either store these out of sight, or even temporarily take out a storage unit. They should also place excessive furniture and furnishings in this unit, so the house does not look cluttered, and excessive furniture also often makes rooms look far smaller than they actually are. If a homeowner feels overwhelmed or needs more direction, he should consider using a quality, professional, home stager (with a good local reputation).

2. If your house is an unusual color or shade, many potential home buyers might be turned off. It is far better to have a neutral, but attractive color to put your house in the best perspective.

3. Clear out your garage, at least sufficiently to put your car in their during home showings, as well as when pictures are taken. Remember that a seller wants to make the buyer feel as comfortable as possible, and first impressions are most important. At the same time, declutter the driveway and front lawn area, for precisely the same reason.

4. The first impression a potential buyer gets when he sees the house is most important. Address any potential distractions, or eyesores. These include peeling paint, broken shutters, dirty appearance, awnings or shingles that need repair,broken sidewalks or driveways, unpainted railings, rusty areas, etc. Take a look from the front of your house from every angle, and address any areas that may be turn- offs.

5. Don't neglect lawns, gardens, etc. Make sure the lawn is trimmed, mowed and seeded for maximum positive impact. If the weather permits, make sure there are some colorful and attractive plants, and make sure all areas are weeded, clean, and welcoming.

These are all relatively easy areas to address. Homeowners often cost themselves time, opportunities, and substantial dollars because they overlook these items. I recommend that a home seller discuss these types of things with his real estate professional, and heed the advice given.

No comments:

Post a Comment