Selling a Columbia SC Home: 8 Mistakes That Can Cost You
Selling a Columbia SC home is hard enough in today’s market without you making killer mistakes right up front.
Unfortunately, many sellers continue making the same mistakes that end up costing them money on the sale of their home, or even costing them the entire sale.
Frequent Mistakes When Selling a Columbia SC Home:
Not prepping the home for sale – Buyers want to see a house as flawless as possible, so sellers need to take care of every repair, declutter their home and add some curb appeal.
Buyers want to know their stuff will fit in the home without cramming, so moving everything to the garage or stuffing it into a closet won’t cut it.
Sellers need to keep their home “near-perfect” with landscaping trimmed, dishes done and beds made every day.
It takes about a minute for potential buyers to form an opinion about a house. Everything after that becomes positive or negative reinforcement of that early opinion.
Overpricing your Columbia SC home – a seller should price the home according to its condition and the local market, realizing it must appraise for at least the sales price. Home improvements don’t always return the dollars spent, so sellers need to be realistic and understand that the value of their property is based on the local market.
Permitting non-qualified buyers to see your home – These days, with tightened credit, a pre-approval should always be a prerequisite for a home showing to make sure buyers are shopping in the right price range. Many sellers make the mistake of showing their home to anyone who wants to look.
Dishonesty about flaws in the home – Disclosure laws vary, but sellers blow their deals when they don’t tell anyone about something they know is wrong with their house.
Limiting house showings – Never turn a prospective buyer with an agent away or let them know you are unhappy. This will only influence how the buyers think of your home. Sellers need to realize that even if it’s not convenient, buyers must be allowed to see the home on evenings and weekends. Sellers should always leave the home during a showing so buyers will be comfortable opening closets and looking in cabinets.
Taking an offer personally – Sellers should look at a sale strictly as a business transaction and not take low offers personally. Sellers often assume the highest price is the one they should accept, or they may become insulted and walk away from a low offer. Sellers need to be realistic about the current market in their area and look at the whole package, not just price. You don’t want a buyer who may ultimately be unable to close the deal.
Arguing over minor inspection requests – Some sellers get angry over requests made after an inspection. Sellers need to understand that their home isn’t perfect. They can negotiate, but they need to have supporting evidence if they choose to reject responsibility.
Not fixing items as required by the contract could delay or derail a closing and could end up costing a seller far more than the repair bill because of extra days of paying interest or having to put their home on the market again.
Not being ready for an appraisal – Once you have an accepted offer, you may be tempted to relax your housekeeping standards a bit. That could cost you. When the appraiser arrives, you need to make sure your home reflects the same condition as the day it went under contract.
Appraisals lower than the sales price cause friction between buyers and sellers and can cause new negotiations to start. Take care of your property and stay calm in the face of chaos. These are the best ways a seller can avoid a derailed sale.