Home prices in Phoenix have been rising over the past few years, favoring sellers in the area. With a low supply of homes for sale, Phoenix is a borderline seller’s market. That doesn’t mean you can afford to become complacent when selling your home. As always, you should have the services of a real estate professional who will not only price your home properly, but give you important advice on how to avoid alienating potential buyers.
Ten Ways to Lose Interested Buyers
1. Overpricing your house by a few thousand dollars can mean the difference between selling in two weeks and selling in a year. Go with the pros on this one and trust your real estate agent to properly price your home.
2. Lowering the price in a panic if the home doesn’t sell right away. Buyers will smell desperation and take advantage of it, driving your price even lower by simply waiting for you to cave in and do it again.
3. Deferring maintenance is a guaranteed turnoff to prospective buyers. Missing tiles on the roof, mold and mildew on siding and shingles, a leaky faucet, outdated appliances and old carpeting are all good examples. When buyers see obvious lack of maintenance in photos or advertisements, they start wondering about things they can’t see, like cracked foundations.
4. Bad photography in ads or online will instantly repel a buyer. Hire a professional photographer and seek advice from your realtor on how to stage rooms for maximum appeal.
5. Exaggerating the appeal of the house and neighborhood can make a buyer feel let down when they see the real thing. Be honest about what your home offers and where it’s situated.
Easily Avoidable Seller Mistakes
1. Failing to clean carpets, drapes, walls, floors, grout lines and ceiling fans makes buyers feel like the chore of cleaning up another family’s dirt and grime just isn’t worth it.
2. Leaving personal items in the open, even if it’s a stack of clean laundry in the laundry room, is a big no-no. The same goes for stacks of correspondence, kids’ toys and the like.
3. Cramming clutter in the closets is one of the worst open-house offenses you can commit. Closets should appear roomy, and less than a third full.
4. Letting pets remain in the house during the open house. Remember that some people are allergic to pets, and some are even afraid of them. Remove all litter boxes, pet dishes and toys.
5. Hovering during walk-throughs is another way to alienate buyers. Be available if you’re but otherwise let your real estate agent do the selling!
The lists above are some of the most glaring errors people make when they try to sell a home. Finally, always remember that a well-kept home that has curb appeal and is meticulously maintained is a house that sells. For more information about selling your home, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
