4 Common Seller Mistakes When Preparing a Home For Sale

In a market where there are more home buyers than there are homes for sale, if you're having trouble selling your home, you may have two bigger issues going on. Either your price is too high or your home is not ‘sellable’. Maybe you have an eclectic sense of home decorating style or you have a family of furry friends, the state of your home has a major impact on how quickly and at what price your home will sell. If your home has been on the market for a while now, here are some key mistakes you may be making in the home preparation process.

1. Thinking your style will be appreciated by everyone. Your decision to wallpaper everything, hang tapestry-like window coverings, put in animal print carpets, or furnish with massive Victorian furniture may be great for you, but is unlikely that it will be appreciated by everyone else. In fact, certain decorating styles can make the home look like a period piece and magnify the age of the house. Buyers need to be able to picture themselves, their belongings, and their lifestyle in the home, and making the space more neutral will add to the sense of space and will not distract from the buyer’s visualization of living in the home.
2. Letting collections of personal items interfere with the viewing of the home’s living space. The cuckoo clock collection, the beer steins, and family photos may bring you fond memories but the only memory that a buyer may have after viewing your home is of your collections, not of your home. Realistically, when selling a home, personal collections become clutter, and clutter of any kind should be avoided.
3. The home is not perfectly clean and smelling fresh. Little Fido or Puss and Boots may be your loves, but if your home looks and smells like them, it will quickly turn off potential buyers. Paying to get a thorough house cleaning including the windows is a good investment before you start having home viewings.
4. The home is dated and needs updates or renovations. Some things as simple as new hardware, paint, or light fixtures can make a real difference. Other more expensive things like replacing dated appliances may be needed especially in higher priced homes where there will be an expectation of up-to-date kitchens appliances and hard surfaces.

Sellers should consult with an experienced Realtor who will be honest in their evaluation of the home’s marketability and perhaps bring in a professional stager when appropriate. It is important to remember that, once listed, the home is just a product to be marketed against similar homes for sale and emotional attachments only get in the way of the sale.