Five mistakes to avoid when selling your home

By Kirsten Friedli

When selling your home, you should be looking to achieve the best result in a reasonable time frame.

Following are the five main mistakes that many sellers make that are best to be avoided:

1 | Having unrealistic price expectations
One of the key reasons some properties sit on the market for too long is because they are not priced correctly from the beginning, targeting the wrong group of buyers.

Most properties receive the highest level of interest in the first couple of weeks.

This is the optimum time when you have multiple ready-buyers competing
for your property, driving the price up. After this time, buyer enquiry tends to wane, and the longer a property sits on the market, the lower the enquiry rate.

Tip: To ensure your property is priced correctly, do your research, be realistic and look at your home objectively. You should also speak to a knowledgeable Sales Consultant who will help you work out the price range your home will likely attract.

2 | Using poor quality photographs to market your home
The images of your property that appear in print, online, and through other marketing channels, are the first, and possibly only impression you will make on potential buyers – so they need to be of top quality!

Statistics show that homes listed online with professional photos get more views, so it’s well worth the investment.

3 | Not carrying out necessary maintenance or repairs
It’s a good idea to have all repairs done before you have buyers inspect your home. Little things can detract from your home’s presentation, resulting in lower offers.

Tip: Your Sales Consultant can offer you suggestions to help you best present your property.

4 | Investing too little in marketing
Investing in your marketing campaign is very important as this will help to ensure your property is visible to all potential buyers in the market place.

The latest research from Harcourts Group Australia, showed a direct correlation between the amounts spent on marketing and how much interest and enquiry there was on properties.

Tip: Speak with your Sales Consultant about the best marketing plan for your property.

5 | Failing to interview potential Sales Consultants
Choosing a Sales Consultant is a critical part of the home-selling process. After all, you will want to work with someone you trust to achieve the best result for your home.

There is nothing wrong with meeting a few Sales Consultants to see what each has to offer and to see who will be the best fit. Look at things such as experience, qualifications, current sales results, ability to negotiate, and someone you believe is working in your best interests.

For more advice on selling your home, speak to one of our Sales Consultants today on 4628 7444.