Dos and Don’ts of Selling Your House

The thought of spending the rest of your life in your new home can make buying a house exciting. However, life circumstances such as growing your family or relocating to a different city may lead you to consider selling your home.

Selling a house can be daunting, as it is often a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many people. This lack of experience can lead to mistakes that sell the house lower than its actual value or prevent it from being sold. Here is a guide to the dos and don’ts of selling your home to help you through the process and prevent you from making mistakes.

3 Dos of Selling Your House

Here are three tips to help you sell your house quickly and for a good price.

1. List Your House For Sale

You’ll have to extensively list and market your property to reach many prospects. Conduct thorough research on similar houses in your area and price the property accordingly.

You can also find a knowledgeable estate agent and get valuable advice on pricing and the necessary repairs and improvements. An agent can also serve as an expert intermediary between you and potential buyers, especially regarding the legal aspects of the selling process, which can be complex to navigate independently.

However, agents keep a significant commission, and the process takes time. If you want to sell your house fast without spending money and time on repairs, you can contact a cash home-buying company.

2. Use Sale Boards

For-sale signs can be beneficial as they provide free advertising for your agent and help spread the word about your property. This can lead to more viewings and a better selling price. You need to inform as many people as possible about your home being for sale.

It can also help you reach passive buyers, as some buyers are not actively searching through web portals or with agents. However, when they come across a property they’ve always dreamed of owning, they will go to great lengths to secure it, often because they saw the for-sale sign.

3. Sell at the Right Time

Another crucial consideration when selling your home is timing. Different times of the year have varying success rates for quickly, efficiently, and profitably closing sales. Spring is regarded as the best season for home sales because of factors like milder weather, better lighting conditions, and people’s eagerness to buy and settle before the school year begins again in the fall.

On the other hand, selling a house in winter, especially around the Christmas holidays, is generally not recommended. Festive activities and travel to visit family and friends make many less focused on house hunting, and finances can be tighter after holiday expenses.

3 Don’ts of Selling Your House

Here are some common mistakes to avoid, which can lower the value of your house or even prevent it from being sold.

1. Not Realizing the Importance of Your Curb Appeal

Recognizing the significance of your house’s curb appeal is crucial, as some sellers mistakenly focus only on the interior of their homes. Neglecting the exterior curb can be costly, as a well-maintained and attractive exterior can lead to quicker and more profitable sales. It’s essential to ensure that your property’s exteriors are as well-presented as the interior before listing it for sale. Improving curb appeal is often easy to do and budget-friendly.

2. Hiring Professional Stagers

Unless your home is precious, you might want to invest in something other than professional staging. Instead, you can save money and stage it yourself by looking at listings of luxury properties that have been staged and trying to replicate that style. Clear away knick-knacks, ornaments, collections, and large furniture that make your rooms appear smaller. Store away excess clothing and shoes to make your closets look more spacious and organised.

Use neutral shades for decoration, as seen in property renovation shows and magazines. Introduce pops of colour with framed prints, posters, cushions, and rugs. If you don’t have these items, consider purchasing ones you like and taking them to your next home.

3. Leaving Your House Messy

Many potential buyers are seeking a clean, orderly, and clutter-free property. More crucial than having an aesthetically pleasing home is ensuring it’s impeccably clean and smells pleasant. Therefore, another task to prioritise is thoroughly cleaning your entire house, eliminating rubbish or clutter, and reorganising each room. If you lack the time, skills, or desire to clean yourself, consider hiring a cleaning service.

Most potential buyers will likely want to inspect your closets and cabinets. This helps them assess factors like size, capacity, and materials, so paying attention to these areas is crucial. Before showing your home to potential buyers, ensure you’ve tidied up and decluttered everything from your pantry to your refrigerator and from your bedroom closets to any other storage spaces. This becomes even more critical if you have valuables that could be vulnerable during an open house. Find a secure place to store them while potential buyers view the property.

Endnote

Selling your house is complicated; small mistakes can lead to losing value. Sell it at the right time, with spring being the best season for sales, and hire a reliable realtor for expert guidance and a smoother process. Utilising sale boards can attract more buyers, including passive ones. Avoiding common mistakes like neglecting curb appeal, skipping professional staging, and leaving your house messy is essential for a successful sale.

Ref: 3712.32427
Image credit: Unsplash