It is a seller’s market. There are houses flying off the market left and right which has many home sellers thinking their house is going to sell quickly.
However, the market conditions are meaning that many home sellers are ignoring all suggestions and putting minimal work into their home before listing it. It comes as a surprise to them when their house sits on the market for weeks or even months.
Even though it is a seller’s market there are numerous reasons a house may not sell. To avoid costly errors, sellers will want to be aware of following mistakes:
The Price
In most situations, it all comes down to the price of a house. Even a house that needs thousands of dollars of work can be sold if the right price tag is attached.
There are a number of buyers out there looking for houses. The home sellers just need to know how to appropriately value their home. Even though there is always room to lower the price of a house, this can sometimes make buyers believe something is wrong with the home.
Welcome Buyers
Showing a house is an art form. Even a house that has problems needs to be shown with its best foot forward.
The easiest way to make a home feel inviting is to show it with plenty of natural lighting as well as artificial lighting. The brighter a house is the more welcoming it will feel to buyers.
Scheduling Problems
One of the costliest mistakes when selling a house is to make it unavailable. We get it: no one wants to show a house at the last minute. Nor do they want to leave without prior knowledge but that is what must be done to sell quickly.
However, home sellers will want to make every attempt to allow a buyer to walk through. Saying no to a buyer may cost the sale.
Photoshoot
Most houses are found by looking at photos on an online listing. This means that terrible photos will not sell a house. Even mediocre photos will make a buyer think twice about making an appointment to view the home.
Take beautiful photos that make rooms look bright and large. It will be more enticing to buyers and more people will want to actually see the home in person.
Old Fashioned and Outdated
There is nothing wrong with a house that is not updated. Many people love to buy a house that needs updating so they can customize it to their heart’s content. However, this does not mean they are willing to pay top dollar for the home. The price should show that the house is in good condition but needs some updates.
Insurance Problems
This is a huge problem for many buyers. If a home is not in good enough condition to be insured, they are going to have a problem. Depending on where the home is there are different regulations that must be met. A house that needs a lot of work with plumbing, electrical, or the roof can be a hard sell due to insurance problems.
Too Much Work Needed
Similar to having insurance problems there are some homes that a lender will not finance. The type of loan a buyer is getting from the lender will determine how strict they are.
A buyer that is buying cash is able to purchase a house that needs all systems worked over. However, a buyer that is getting financed fully by the bank will need a home that is move-in ready.
It is true that savvy home sellers are able to sell their home quickly and for a decent amount. However, there is some work that has to be done to achieve this. Avoid making these mistakes when getting ready to sell.