As anyone who has gone through the home selling process will tell you, it can be complex and challenging to sell a house in Chesapeake. Without the proper preparation and research ahead of time, an inexperienced home seller could end up making serious mistakes that may cost you thousands of dollars in profits on the sale of your home.
Because the sale of your home is such a major financial decision, it is essential that you create a thorough plan prior to listing your home. To make sure that you have all the information you need to avoid potential problems and pitfalls, we have put together this list of the five worst mistakes that home sellers make when they try to sell a house in Chesapeake.
Forgetting Your Budget
Selling a home is a major financial situation, and it requires you to consider several important elements before making a sale. That means you need to plan a budget (yes, home sellers need a budget) and keep it in mind at all times. First of all, you should know that you are responsible for the majority of closing costs in a real estate transaction. This includes the commission for your own realtor as well as the home buyer’s realtor.
Additionally, you may want to think about incorporating the costs of renovating, upgrading, and preparing the house to be listed on the market. This will make your home as appealing as possible to potential home buyers, so these actions are well-worth the effort and investment. Since you will be moving, you need to also consider the costs of packing and moving from your current home to the next one into your budget.
All of these costs should be considered when it comes to developing your home selling budget. Be sure your budget is well-defined and always kept in mind when you try to sell a house in Chesapeake.
Choosing the Wrong Realtor
As a home seller, you likely share two common goals with other home sellers: selling a house fast and getting top dollar for it. In order to accomplish these goals, you need a realtor with experience, skills, and knowledge of the local market. Not every realtor will be able to sell your home quickly and get the full market value.
Every realtor has strengths and weaknesses, and it is vital that you know what your realtor’s skill set is to make sure the realtor you choose can assist you in the best possible way. To find out this information, it is critical for you to interview three to five realtors before you make a choice.
During the interviews, ask them the tough questions! Find out about their experience, history in the Chesapeake area, marketing strategies, and track record. The track record will include the realtor’s average selling speed, home sales in the last 6 months, and the average list-to-sale price ratio.
All of this information will lead you to the right realtor for your home selling process.
Disregarding Your Home’s Appearance
One of the most important things to remember when you try to sell a house in Chesapeake is that you only have one chance to make a first impression with home buyers. Some home sellers will list the house as-is on the real estate market because they don’t want to invest in repairs and renovations since they can cost thousands of dollars. However, it is critical that you avoid this idea if you want to get top dollar.
Instead of selling as-is, you should consider renovating the high-traffic areas of the house such as the kitchen, bathrooms, and living room. By upgrading these areas and going the extra mile, you will soon find out that this initial investment will enable you to list the home at a higher asking price.
This asking price will be justified as well. Home buyers will not be able to negotiate with you because the renovations are well-worth the higher price. Additionally, the renovations allow your house to stand apart from the competition on the market, especially for an older house. You will be competing with new construction homes as well as other resale homes, and upgrades will increase your chances of competing with newer, more modern homes.
Getting an Amateur Photographer
As the old saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” In the real estate industry, having high-resolution images and videos made by a professional photographer of your home will help to ensure that you can achieve your real estate goals when you try to sell a house in Chesapeake.
Remember, home buyers will be searching online for a new home, and your house needs to stand apart from the rest. High-quality photos will illustrate your home’s best features and help it stand out from others currently listed on the market.
The realtor you are working with may have a recommended photographer to use, and they may even cover the photographer’s fee as part of their commission. If you decide to find your own photographer, be sure you carefully examine their portfolio as well as the quality of their photos. Find out what makes a high quality real estate photograph.
Getting Emotional During Negotiations
Finally, another common mistake made when home sellers try to sell a house in Chesapeake is getting emotional during negotiations. You need to think of the home sale as a business transaction and remain objective, especially in the event that you receive a lowball offer. This should actually be an expectation.
The home buyer does not believe that you will agree to the lower amount, and they only submitted this offer to find out if there is any wiggle room in the price. You can either hold firm with your asking price or lower it a bit. If lowering the price is not an option, you could consider adding some concessions to make a better deal for the home buyers.
No matter what you decide to do, be sure you evaluate and respond to every home offer objectively. Do not take the offers personally. It is just a business transaction, so remain calm and objective.
Sell a House in Chesapeake Fast and for Top Dollar with Our Realtors
Would you like to try to sell a house in Chesapeake? If so, be sure you have a clear, well-developed, and comprehensive pricing and marketing strategy before you list the home for sale. To ensure you have a good plan of action to achieve your real estate goals, our team at Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty - Reeds Real Estate is here to help.
We have been working with home sellers like you in the Chesapeake area for many years, and our reputation for selling homes is legendary. In general, we can sell homes 48% faster and for 2.4% more money than any other realtor in the area.
Our team’s success is the reason that our clients consider us the best in Chesapeake. Home sellers love working with us because we always go the extra mile and will guarantee the sale of your home. Our home seller guarantees are unparalleled, including our Guaranteed Sale Program!
This program guarantees the sale of your home in your desired time frame and at a price that is agreeable to you. If it doesn’t sell, we will buy it! No matter the circumstances, you win!
If you are ready to try to sell a house in Chesapeake and want more information, give us a call at (757) 799-4824 or fill out the form on this page with the requested information. We look forward to hearing from you and getting you started on your real estate journey!
