What not to do When Putting Your Home on the Market
If you are thinking of selling your home there are quite a few things to do. This includes hiring an experienced, local real estate agent to list your home and work with you from listing all the way through closing. You need to price the home correctly and pay a decent real estate commission to the buyers agent to incentivise Realtors to show your home. There are a few things you shouldn’t do, however.
Don’t Over-Improve Your Home
Many sellers do a few things to get their homes ready to list for sale. If you have colors on your walls that are not neutral, it’s a good idea to paint them a neutral color. Making a few repairs are a good idea if you know of any defects or safety hazards. Changing a few rooms of carpeting is a good investment if the carpeting is old, worn or stained. Just don’t do any improvements that are expensive and specific to your tastes and colors.
Your real estate agent can guide you on what is important to update or change. You want to do things that will get you your money back and then some. You don’t want to spend an excessive amount of money on updates or upgrades that won’t get you your money back.
Don’t Over-Decorate or Over-Stage
The rule of thumb is “less is more” when it comes to staging and decorating a home when you list it for sale. It’s always a smart idea to start packing by putting away some of the knickknacks and photos on your tables, shelves, and walls. Be sure your kitchen counters show that they are spacious by putting away some of your small appliances and decorations you have on them. If you have collections that you display, it’s a good idea to pack those before listing your home. Put away your toiletries and whatever other personal items you keep on your bathroom vanities.
If your rooms have too much furniture in them and it makes them look crowded, store them during showings. The less you have in a room, the larger it will look. You want to show your prospective buyers as much open space as you can so they can imagine their furnishings in the home. Vacant houses give buyers a blank space to envision themselves in. If you want to stage your home, do it minimally. Talking to a professional staging company will help give you ideas.
Don’t Stay in the House During Showings
It’s best to leave your house during showings. Buyers and their real estate agents don’t want you hanging around and following them during the showings. Some sellers like to be there in case the agent or buyers have questions. This is one of the reasons you hire your real estate agent. If they have questions they can call or email your agent. Buyers like to talk freely with their agents about things they like about the house and things that don’t suit them. If you are there, they won’t feel comfortable talking among themselves or with their agent. If you have a pet in your home and have to stay home because of your pet, it’s best to take your pet out of the house for showings. Take them for a walk or a ride in the car. If a showing is inconvenient because you have children napping, ask the buyers agent ahead of time to reschedule.
Don’t Get Down About Negative Feedback
Don’t take things personally when you receive negative feedback. Your buyer is out there somewhere. Some people get very upset and defensive if some of the buyers don’t like their home. A home is very personal. Also, don’t get too upset if you receive a low-ball offer on your home. It is a buyer’s agent’s job to help their buyers get a deal on a house. Just negotiate the offer until it’s a win-win and you can agree on a price. If you cannot get to a price point where you and the buyers agree, then move on to the next showings and offer.
Listing and selling a home can be stressful at times. Try to stay positive and think about the wonderful future ahead of you in your new home. Listen to your real estate professionals. They do this for a living and the advice they give will benefit you.