Home | Five mistakes to avoid as a first-time seller
You may be thinking about putting your home on the market as the year wraps up and we head into 2024. If you’ve never sold before, the first time can be a bit tricky to navigate. People buy and sell properties for all sorts of reasons connected to lifestyle, work, or family changes, and it’s impossible to accurately predict when you’ll want or need to move on.
Here are five mistakes to avoid before your property hits the market.
Being in a rush to sell
So much goes into preparing a house to sell before it even hits the market. Everything from decluttering and cleaning your home, to repairs and even deciding whether you would like to hire a furniture staging company. Check your property advertisements are well-written and include as many details about your home as possible. It’s a good idea to advertise your property in its best light, so small things like waiting for a sunny day to get professional photos and videos taken can make a huge difference. All these tasks take time so it’s best to not be in a rush.
Not hiring professionals
Listings that feature professional photography receive a much greater rate of views on sites like trademe and realestate.co.nz. Professional photography ensures your home looks its best. Having beautiful high-res images and even a short video of your home is the base of your marketing campaign. You can use these to advertise in print, digital, and beyond. Short videos are great for your agent to post on social media and will help transport potential buyers to your home.
Having your expectations too high
Serious buyers are looking at a lot of properties as they search for their perfect home. At the time that they are looking, they become very knowledgeable about what is available on the market for a particular price. If you have an asking price that is too high, you may put off serious buyers. To avoid this, talk to your agent to ensure you are advertising within the right price range.
Being unprepared for open homes
Buyers want to see a property that is nicely presented and well cared for, that they can imagine themselves in. Make sure you de-personalise by removing any family photos and children’s drawings from the fridge. Declutter and remove anything that makes the house look untidy. Your house should also be clean from top to bottom – don’t forget to tidy up the lawn and garden!
When preparing for an open home a good question to ask yourself is will my house impress potential buyers?
Going overboard on spending before your home hits the market
Make sure you don’t get too carried away with pre-sale repairs and renovations. It’s a great idea to give your property a bit of a spruce-up and fix any maintenance issues but look at fixing small things on the to-do list like leaky taps or the broken latch on the front gate. Don’t go so far as spending thousands of dollars on larger renovations that you may not see a return on.
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