As we have already covered in previous blogs, there are several different ways to prepare your Tahoe Keys home when selling. However, there are also some things to avoid when selling your Tahoe Keys home. Right now there are some positive real estate trends; giving people who have stayed put in the home they want to sell some hope. More than ever, it is necessary to keep these avoidable mistakes in mind so you can best get your home sold quickly and for the most money.

Making upgrades to your home based on personal preference. Just because you have always wanted something, doesn’t mean a buyer will. Think of the phrase “Beauty is within the eye of the beholder”. Not everyone has the same taste, wants or needs. When selling your home, you want it be marketable to a variety of buyers. While the ROI on major upgrades or remodels hasn’t totally proven to give seller’s the full return, you are better off doing a minor upgrade that is appealing the masses instead of redoing your counter tops with a colored concrete or repainting the house in your favorite color.

Offering credits to the buyer for work you’d rather not deal with. If you are aware of little fixes that need to be done, it is best to invest in them yourself rather than offering a buyers credit because they seem so small, you’d rather not deal with. Keep in mind that just as busy as you are, so is the buyer. They will not want to deal with this either. Instead, they will bring attention to all of these down falls and could potentially ask for a lower price, or ask for credits against the purchase price. When you take the time to handle little and affordable fixes, not only does your home sell faster, but it is less hassle and head ache at the end. After all, what could be a $200 fix up front might end up being a $2000 credit at the end.

Not taking your first buyer seriously. In most scenarios, your first buyer is going to the best one. Typically it is because they are the most motivated and willing to do business. The buyers offer may come in lower than what is expected, but that is why there are counter offers and negotiations. If you hold off hoping for a better offer, your property could potentially sit for longer than necessary and become old news. When this happens, you stand to take less money than the first offer would have provided.

Overpricing your house. This is probably one of the biggest mistakes sellers make when they put their home on the market. An informed buyer is going to be well aware of the comparable properties in the neighborhood, so you are not pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes. While people typically negotiate during the real estate process, pricing your home too high sends the message that you are not motivated. The repercussions are that your home could sit on the market too long. In that event, price reductions will be in order but your property could still be bypassed due to the amount of days your home has been sitting on the market. When you appropriately price your Take Keys home from the start, you save yourself the headache of months of carrying the cost of mortgage payments, property taxes, and more.  Not to mention, when you price your home right from the start, you help your chances of selling for close to the list price, if not over in some scenarios.

Making your home difficult to show. With the market picking up, serious buyers are paying close attention to new Tahoe Keys listings. So long as a property is priced right, agents can get requests for showings within 24 hours of a home being listed. A seller’s job is to make sure their property is easy to show. This means allowing for your home to be on the broker’s tour and having the property ready for a potential buyer within 24 hours. If you have some restrictions, let your agent know up front so they can put these in the agent only remarks and the showing instructions in the MLS.

As always, there is more information that a real estate agent can provide for you when selling your Tahoe Keys home. Whether it be general information or specific tips pertaining just to your property, it is always best to consult with a quality real estate agent before putting your property on the market. For more information regarding Tahoe Keys real estate, call Peter Delilli at 530-308-4331.