8 Common Home Selling Mistakes to Avoid in Fulton County
Finding the right buyer for your home requires knowing what can hinder your progress. Here are common home selling mistakes to avoid in Fulton County, PA.
Are you thinking of selling your home? Perhaps you’ve become an empty nester and want to downsize, or your family has outgrown and needs a bigger house. Or maybe you’ve got a new job offer or a transfer to a new city.
Regardless of your motivation to sell your home, there are some common home selling mistakes that can be easily avoided.
Selling a home can be time-consuming and emotionally challenging, especially when it’s your first time. You’ve got so much to do, from preparing your home for sale, listing, organizing showings to reviewing and negotiating offers. A small slip-up on this process can cost you dearly.
You don’t want to spend weeks or even months without getting any reasonable offer for your home. To make the process less stressful, smooth, and fast, it’s crucial to know how to go about it. For a more positive experience, and to get a top dollar for your home, know the common pitfalls when selling your home.
Here are 8 common home selling mistakes to avoid in Fulton County to get you started.
1. Not Pricing Realistically
Pricing your home can be a catch 22. While you want to make a profit from the sale, you must also be reasonable about your property’s value. You put off potential buyers if your price is too high while pricing too low means you take a loss.
To help you set a realistic and fair home price, your realtor will evaluate similar property that is either on sale, or has sold in your neighborhood. They will check on how fast the properties sold or how long they have been in the market. Finally, they will determine how these properties differ from yours and whether you should price yours higher or lower.
Also, working with a home appraiser will help to get the true value of your home.
2. Not Staging Your Home
You don’t have to hire a professional home stager when staging your home. You can clean, declutter and organize your home to make it visually attractive to prospective buyers.
When preparing your home, consider;
• Cleaning surfaces such as desks, counters, and table
• Applying a fresh paint coat to walls
• Maintaining or landscaping your deck, balcony, or yard
• Replacing outmoded wallpaper
• Fixing damages on flooring, counters, and walls
In case the task seems like too much, a professional home stager can do the heavy lifting for you. The professionals are adept at home staging and will ensure your home creates the best impression to buyers.
3. Not Considering Closing Costs
Whether selling your home by yourself or using a realtor, there are closing costs you are bound to incur. For instance, you’ll have to pay for;
• Lawyer fees
• Property fees
• Real estate commissions
• Pre-sale inspection fees
• Property appraisal fees
While the buyer normally pays some of the costs associated with home closing, a seller will still have to cover some costs. If you fail to factor in these costs in your profit or listing price, then it’s likely you’ll take a loss. Before listing your home in the market, your realtor will help you determine how much the closing costs will be.
4. Choosing the Wrong Real Estate Agent
While you’ve got so many choices for realtors, keep in mind they are all different and unique. The one you choose will make or break the house selling process.
The right realtor will expedite the process, get your better deals, and make the process plain sailing. However, the wrong agent will cost you money, time, and showings. Hit the nail on the head when choosing a real estate agent.
5. Selling on Your Own
While it might seem like a great idea, avoid selling your home on your own to save on the realtor fees. If you don’t know what you are doing, this will only cause unnecessary stress, and you may end up losing money.
A realtor is highly experienced with the intricate home selling process. They have sold numerous properties before and understand the tips and tricks for the best deal and fast sale. Also, they have access to multiple listing tools that the general public can’t access.
In addition, a realtor has a network of other professionals you may need for a successful home sale. This includes home inspectors, repair contractors, real estate lawyers, and proper appraisers.
6. Taking Feedback Personally
Even though you’re selling your home, you have some emotional attachment to it. With this, you are likely to take criticisms or lowball offers personally during showings and open houses.
However, keep in mind that your home has sentimental value to you and not the prospective buyer. Try as much as possible not to get offended during the process. Making emotionally driven decisions may force you to miss offers and negotiations, and you could end up staying in the market longer.
7. Selling in the Wrong Season
In most cases, the housing market will slow during the winter. If you hit the market during winter, chances are you’ll get only a few viewings and lowball offers.
If you identify the peak season for the housing market, rest assured that you will get the best deal for your home. Typically, this is from spring to early fall. The market is flooded with buyers, and you’ll get an offer reflecting the true value of your home.
8. Using Poor Listing Photos
The photos used in listing a home significantly influence the prospective buyer’s first impression. Based on what they see online, the buyer decides whether to book a showing or not. Real estate agents have access to a network of professional photographers who can offer high quality photos for your home.
Avoid the Above Home Selling Mistakes
Selling your home doesn’t have to be challenging if you know the common pitfalls to avoid. Before you put your property on the market, do all the necessary preparations and know how to go about it.
Do you need help selling your home in Fulton County, PA? At Palmer Realty, we are here to help. With over 50 years of experience, we offer top-quality real estate services to property buyers and sellers.
Contact us today for a free consultation.