6 Ways Home Sellers Sabotage Their Own Sale

The goal of every home seller and every agent is a fast sale and a high profit. How your home is presented will affect a buyer’s interest level, as well as their offer. Sadly, some sellers unwittingly sabotage their own home sale with certain behaviors. Here are a few of the most common ones and how to avoid becoming your own worst enemy when selling your Katy, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, or Houston home:

1.  Believing your house is special. It’s only special to you. Condition and price are what matter to buyers, so make sure your home is sparkling clean, appears well-maintained, and is priced competitively.

2.  Thinking that buyers will overlook clutter and overly personalized design choices. Buyers will view your personal things very impersonally. Pack away identifying info, like family photos and references to hobbies, religion, and sports preferences. Help buyers see this as their NEW house, not your OLD house. You’ll keep more negotiating power by neutralizing decor where possible. Leaving the dining room painted that shade of bright red that totally matched your dishes or leaving up the cute plaid curtains you love will turn off buyers who can’t see past your taste (and many of them can’t). Consult a professional home staging company for help creating a neutral environment that’s still welcoming to potential buyers. 

3.  Not using a professional photographer. Your online photo presentation is the very first impression most buyers will have of your home. So why in the world would you use amateur photos taken by you or your agent (ESPECIALLY ones taken with a camera phone)? Hiring a professional real estate photographer who uses good equipment, understands lighting and editing, and knows how to get good angles is absolutely critical to marketing your home in a day and age where 95% of buyers start their home search on the Internet. Worth mentioning again:  de-clutter and stage your home prior to the photoshoot. There’s nothing worse than multiple photos of messy, poorly staged rooms.

4.  Turning down showings. The more opportunities you give potential buyers to see your home, the greater your chances of getting a contract. Even if you get a showing request with very little notice, keep in mind that this is a person who liked your online photos enough to make a trip to your property — grab your baby, your dog, your keys, and get everybody OUT so buyers can view the house comfortably. The odds of a potential buyer re-scheduling are usually pretty slim.

5.  Leaving pets at home during showings. Barking dogs, meowing cats — even noisy birds — put extra stress on a potential buyer who should be focused on trying to evaluate whether they want to live in your house (not to mention the extra stress it puts on your animals). Regardless of how friendly your fur babies may be, kennel them during showings, or better yet, completely remove them from the property.

6.  Being unwilling to negotiate. Most buyers will ask for help with closing costs or for some repairs to be made. Be flexible, meet in the middle when possible, and try to keep the big picture in mind. They’re often not differences worth throwing the whole deal away.

Selling a home is hard work, a bit uncomfortable at times, and often inconvenient. But don’t add to your stress by sabotaging your own sale! Remember, presenting your home in the right light, being flexible, and and giving buyers space to fall in love with your house can make all the difference. If you’re ready to sell your Katy, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, or Houston home or if you know someone who is, give The Rhoades Team a call at (713) 515-3463 and we’ll help you get started.