Home selling horrors and how to avoid them

Selling your home can be draining; emotionally and physically. It’s an all-round stressful time. But what can make the experience even more of a stress is making little mistakes that can absolutely be avoided.

First up, timing. One of the top mistakes when selling a home is rushing to get it on the market without the consideration of whether it’s the right time. Research suggests it’s best to wait for warmer weather. Trying to sell over the winter months, especially around holiday season, can definitely slow down the process. Taking a little time to understand the market and work out if now is the right time to sell can really work in your favour and avoid the risk of a slow sale at a lower price when you know your home is worth more.

Once you’ve decided you’re ready to sell its time to find yourself an agent. Often the easy option when selling is to opt for the first agent you meet, it’s one less thing to worry about and gets the ball rolling, but the reality is, whoever you chose is going to oversee the sale of your home, so you’d be making a mistake if you didn’t look for someone who has your best interests at heart. There are many different options you can consider outside of the usual high street agencies, one being online agencies, they can save you a little, but be sure you know what you’re getting as they tend to offer a simpler package. There is also no harm in being open to options like a real estate auctioneer.

Another big selling blunder you’ll want to avoid is using photo’s that half your home in size or hide its best assets. Good photos are key to gaining the right interest, so take your time and capture the room from the right angle and make sure the lighting is right, and don’t be afraid to show off some key features. Got a fancy fireplace or a bespoke built-in wardrobe? make sure you capture that for your potential buyers to appreciate.

Don’t be mistaken however, as important as it is to highlight the best features of your home, it is also important to openly talk about flaws too. It can be tempting to cover up features that you think will be off-putting to buyers, cracks in walls, old piping, but believe it or not an open and honest approach can be much more beneficial for both you and the buyer, building an element of trust that is great for a smooth and stress-free sale.

And finally, Pricing! A huge mistake that is easy to make is overpricing, it is a mistake to assume that setting your prices high will get you a bigger sale, it can be very off-putting for potential buyers. Research shows it will take you longer to sell if your price your home is overpriced so make sure you check that the price is right! Happy Home selling!