Sellers

Guide to Selling Your Home

Selling your home can be costly, time consuming, even risky. When it comes to selling your most valuable possession, you don't want to take any chances or make any mistakes.

For more information about selling your home, call us at (510)273-9923 or send us an e-mail.

16 Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Home

  1. Pricing Your Home Too High—Rick and Ernie can research comparable sales in your area and advise you of the appropriate price range of your property.
  2. Taking an Inflexible Position on Financing—Ask us to explain financing options. Being flexible on financing terms may secure a better selling price with other advantages as well.
  3. Errors in Market Timing—We can help you determine whether the market cycle is poised to net the most money.
  4. Not Providing Easy Access for Showings—There are many ways to show a home. "By Appointment Only" is the most restrictive. Lock boxes (key safe) are the most accessible. If your home is easy for agents to show, more prospective buyers will see it, improving your odds of getting the deal you want; however, your specific lifestyle may not be compatible with frequent showings. Rick and Ernie will help you determine a solution that will best fit your situation.
  5. Not Utilizing Current Marketing Technology—Make sure your Agent is up-to-date with the latest technology such as Internet sites that cater to home buyers. Check around to see what technology is being utilized in your specific area. In some areas, cable access advertising is popular. Others use 800 number interactive voice response systems. a good agent will know where you can get the best exposure.
  6. Not "Staging" Your Property Correctly—Put some items in storage, create more light, play soothing music, or otherwise improve ambiance. We can offer helpful advice to create the right first impression.
  7. Believing that Selling Property is Seasonal—Don't base selling decisions on the seasons. Property sells year around.
  8. Pricing Your Property Too Low—One reason to hire an Agent is to make sure that no money is left on the table.
  9. Not Reevaluating the Market Plan—Reevaluate your Agent's marketing plan every 10 days. You and your agent may need to make intuitive changes based on the current market buyers.
  10. Believing Your Agent is Not Doing Their Job When There Aren't Any Offers—Most sellers are unaware that 80% of all buyer activity comes from the sign and MLS. Any agent can provide that. So, if you don't have a problem showing the home, but it hasn't generated any interested buyers, it may be time to reevaluate the price.
  11. Ignoring the Importance of First Impressions—Sales have been blown by unkempt lawns, cluttered closets, unpainted front doors, hard-to work locks, blown light bulbs, bad colors, stains, unlit areas, and bad smells. Spend time on the little things, Double up on your gardening and keep things cleaner than usual. Take serious control of your pets during this period.
  12. Not Making the Right Kind of Repairs—Don't be tempted to make improvements prior to listing without consulting your Agent. Some upgrades will not yield any real increase in value, while others may increase property value substantially.
  13. Not Giving the Sales Effort Enough Time—You should never give too little time to what is inherently a long process. Homes may take 3-6 months to sell, in any market. Estimate how much time you have before you need to sell and then plan ahead to allow extra time. You don't want to be forced to accept a disappointing offer.
  14. Not Screening Prospects Adequately—One of the best reasons for hiring an Agent is his ability to prequalify a prospect financially before valuable negotiation time is lost. More importantly, your Agent may discover when a prospect has an ulterior motive for shopping homes, other than purchasing.
  15. Believing that You Can't Make a Difference—The top Agents in the industry report that sellers themselves are responsible for at least one out of ten sales! You can network your business and personal friends, you can hand out fliers at your place of business and elsewhere, and you can keep the house in "move-in condition." Your Agent should be ready to hand you all sorts of assignments to make the "team effort" successful.
  16. Testing the Market—Never put your property on the market, unless you really want a sale! Get ready for a professional sales push when you list with a great agent. If your plan harbors some indecision, resolve it before you list because success is every great Real Estate Agent's objective!