Avoid These Common Home Selling Mistakes

Home selling is one of those things that you just don’t do very often. It’s understandable if you don’t know every nuance of the process, but there are a few common mistakes that you must avoid! If your agent gives you advice on any of these things, it’s a good idea to listen to them. See a quick list of mistakes below and listen to the show for valuable insights from Dave and Robert.

1. Your home sells funny and you refuse to believe it!

2. Your home has way too much personality. Really customized homes can turn off buyers that don’t have the same taste. Neutral colors and decorations apply to a wider range of buyers.

3. Setting up cameras to spy on buyers. If you don’t disclose that you are video recording to those entering the home you can get in big trouble!

4. Don’t hang out at your house during open houses or showings!

5. Pricing your home based on feelings rather than fair market value.

6. Avoid keeping all your belongings in your house while it’s on the market. Packing up some of your stuff will help you house show better.

7. Being reluctant to spruce your home up before listing it. Certain small tweaks cost only a little money and can bring in big returns.

8. Using lack luster listing photos.

9. Not spending time on your home’s curb appeal. First impressions have a big impact!

How to Ensure Your Neighbors Don't Cost You Money When You Sell Your Home

Few sellers consider their neighbor's home when going to sell their own home. They're too busy getting their own home clean, painted, landscaped and ready to hit the market. But if your neighbor's home is lacking in curb appeal or there's an issue with the property line, your neighbors can impact the sale of your property. The good news is there are a few things you can do to help the situation if you put in the work ahead of time. The first thing you can do is develop a good relationship with your neighbor. See the short list of tips below and then listen to the show for more detailed advice from Dave and Robert! 

How to Ensure Your Neighbors Don't Cost You Money on Your Home Sale

1. Develop a good relationship with your neighbors! Having a relationship with your neighbors not only enriches your life, it makes it easier to approach them if you need their help during the sale of your home. A few ideas to grow that relationship:

• Bring the neighbors food! Whether you're introducing yourself for the first time or you just haven't talked to them in a while, cookies, fresh veggies, or homebaked bread can break the ice with your neighbors.

• Good neighbors rarely gossip. Don't get sucked into gossip, move the conversation on to something else.

• Exchange phone numbers with your neighbors. It's almost guaranteed that you will need your neighbor's phone number at some point!

• Help out before you're asked! If you see that your neighbor struggles to mow the lawn in the summer heat, ask when it'd be best to stop by with your riding lawn mower. Or if they are in need of a babysitter, ask them when you can help out!

• Be tidy! An untidy neighbor can make it hard to sell your home, don't be that untidy neighbor yourself!

• Mow the lawn! This goes along with being tidy. A mowed lawn goes a long way in helping not only your curb appeal, but your neighbor's curb appeal!

• Good neighbors communicate. If you see that your neighbor's fence is starting to wobble, communicate with them before it falls over and offer to help fix it! Establishing open communication will go a long way when you go to sell your home.

2. Keep your neighbors in the loop. If you plan to sell your home in the future, give your neighbors a heads up before it hits the market. If you think you'll need their help in any way during the selling process, it will be easier to approach them if they know the situation ahead of time.

You Received an Offer on Your Home! Now…to Accept it or Reject it?

It's a great day for you as a home seller when you receive an offer on your home, but what should you do next? On today's show, Dave and Robert talk about what you should consider before accepting or rejecting an offer. It's not all about what price they offer! See the short list below and listen to the show for all the details, plus input from guest James Pulsipher with Fidelity Mortgage.

When considering an offer, the offer price isn't the only factor to consider! You should also consider:

1. The amount of earnest money they will deposit. This is a good indication of how serious they are about their offer. A higher amount of earnest money, makes an offer stronger.
2. The total number of contingencies. Contracts that have fewer contingencies are more likely to close in a timely fashion.
3. The amount of the buyer's down payment. A higher down payment most likely means the buyer has the financial wherewithal to make it to the closing table if anything comes up along the way.
4. The closing date the buyer is requesting. The buyer might need to close sooner than you are ready to move. On the flip side, the buyer might not be able to close soon enough for your circumstances. Keep this in mind!