6 Signs You Might Be Your Own Worst Enemy When Selling Your Home
You’ve Had Your Home on the Market for a while now and all you hear are crickets….. very few showings and no offers. What’s the problem?
The Bad News? You could the problem.
The Good News, you’ve got the power to fix it.
1. Do your Listing Photos Make an Old Polaroid Look Good? Buyers cruise for homes from the couch. If your online photos look like a 4-year-old took them, you’ll lose buyer interest before they ever pull up to the curb. That’s why it’s important to work with a pro who knows how to make your home shine on camera. You’d be amazed at the difference the right lighting and a wide-angle lens can make when selling your home.
2. Buyers Can’t See the Counter for the Clutter. Let’s play a game of pretend. Imagine you’re about to move. What’s the first thing you do? Pack up! So here’s an important strategy, Start packing now! Every little thing you have sitting out shrinks your space and reminds buyers that someone else lives there. It’s time to give your stuff an eviction notice! Clear off every surface, get your furniture out of the way, and tidy up all storage areas.
3. Your Home Smells Like Warm Cookies and Wet Dog Your pup may be the cutest craze on YouTube, but cute doesn’t move real estate. If you want to attract buyers, you’ve got to pretend Lassie doesn’t live here anymore. Keep pets out of sight and out of mind by eliminating odors, stains, and half-chewed rawhides before your first showing. think about maybe sending your fur babies to Grandma’s house for an extended stay until your home sells.
4. You’re setting the wrong mood. Dark corners are not your friend. Bright rooms make your home look bigger when selling your home, so throw back the curtains and shine a light on every nook and cranny! Start by filling lamps and overhead fixtures with 100-watt bulbs. Add a warm and cozy feel with a few candles and a fire in the fireplace.
5. Three’s a Crowd – News flash: You and your home are not a matching set! Sticking around for showings does nothing but make everyone feel awkward. Leave the questions to the agent and give the buyer room to look around without you breathing down their neck. After all, do you really want to stand in the way of the buyer’s ability to see your house as their dream home?
6. The Price is Wrong – It’s hard to put a price on the place that’s housed so many memories over the years. We get it! But it’s time to set sentiment—and your mortgage statement—aside and be realistic about what someone will pay for your home. An experienced real estate agent will help you price your home competitively based on current market values.
If you’ve had your desert home on the market and aren’t sure why it hasn’t sold, we can help. Give us a call today to find out more. Call Cathi and Ben Walter 760.218.5752 or send us email we’re happy to help.