The Top House Selling Mistakes to Avoid
House Selling Mistakes 1: Avocado-Green Bathrooms
It’s amazing how often the still hideous avocado bathroom suite crops up in houses for sale. If your bathroom is a tribute to the Seventies, it’s time to invest in an upgrade. Potential buyers will see it as an expense that they’ll have to undertake after purchase. If you want to sell, do it for them before you put your house up for sale, otherwise you’ll just end up driving them away.
House Selling Mistakes 2: Swimming Pool
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Being able to boast that your home has an outdoor pool sounds like you’d be bringing a little bit of California to Cattedown, but just think about it for a second. Our climate isn’t really suited to outdoor pools. Nine months out of the year it’s too cold to use an outdoor pool, so it gets covered. Most of your time would be spent cleaning it, scooping leaves off the surface, or keeping it covered to prevent leaves falling in. If you have small children or large pets, you’re really in trouble. I once knew someone who owned a pool and a Old English Sheepdog (you know, like the one in the Dulux ads). Every time the dog felt boisterous it ended up running across the covered pool. I can’t count the number of times they had to rescue that dog and buy new covers to replace the ripped ones. Needless to say, they don’t live there any more.
House Selling Mistakes 3: Over The Top Decor
Crystal chandeliers and gold taps look great in French chateaux and English stately homes. However, there aren’t many houses in Plymouth that look right with them in. A great house selling mistake to avoid is too much ‘character’. Don’t misunderstand me, a little personality is great in a home, but if every corner has something ‘quirky’ in it, you’re in trouble when it comes to selling. Having a giant Postman Pat mural on your five-year-old’s bedroom looks great now, but the next person to occupy the room might be 17 years old. Suddenly it’s less than cool. Think about the buyers and give them a chance to imagine themselves living there. If they start to visualise their own furniture in your home, or see parts of it as a blank canvas for them to inject their own characters, you’re halfway to them putting in an offer.
House Selling Mistakes 4: Bedrooms Converted Into Something Else
Most people value a home based on how many bedrooms it has. If you’ve turned one into a games room, or a tiny discotheque it might feel great or suit your lifestyle but when a buyer discovers it, it might just look like a lost bedroom. Before you say “but they could always convert it back into a bedroom” forget it. The fact is that if buyers can’t see it as a bedroom, they’ll most likely just move on the next viewing. Don’t even try to suggest that your estate agent ought to sell the potential; you’ve got to make their job easier, not harder if you really want to sell.
House Selling Mistakes 5: Pricing Too High
One of the most experienced estate agencies in Plymouth is Lang and Co. When we asked one of their Directors, Marc Rees, which house selling mistakes we should avoid like the plague, he told us straight:
“Asking too high a price. If you price yourself out of the market you don’t give your buyers a chance to see the potential in your house.” Marc Rees, Lang and Co
It’s tempting to price high, but our top tip is to listen to the experts. Pick a good, reputable estate agent and listen to their advice. If they are reputable, they will give you advice that helps you sell for the best price, rather than encouraging you to chase an unrealistic figure that might just drive your buyers away.
House Selling Mistakes 6: Signs of Poor Maintenance
Marc adds that another common mistake is not fixing double glazed windows which have blown. It’s a small cost to repair, but buyers think it’s expensive. Keeping your outside space clean and tidy especially in the outdoors season, is vital. Also, smoking in the property really puts off buyers. Finally, if you have signs of damp, you must get it remedied as it’s a major turn-off for potential buyers as it can raise suspicions about where the damp is coming from. A buyer is more likely to visualise a money pit than a happy family home. Get it sorted.
Also, don’t forget to clear the clutter. Store children’s toys away, move that bike out of the hallway, clear the stack of old magazines off the kitchen counters, and make sure the approach to your front door is spotless. It wouldn’t hurt to weed the garden either.
House Selling Mistakes 7: Choosing the Wrong Agent
It’s hard to know whether an estate agent is the right one for you, so we’ve saved this tip for last. We asked Andrew Chapman from Northwood Property on Mutley Plain how to choose an estate agent.
“I would recommend choosing 3 reputable agents and listen to their advice. Choose your agent based on professionalism, service, and integrity. The mistake to avoid is to choose the agent with the highest valuation and lowest fees. Do some homework and choose the agents that really care.” Andrew Chapman, Northwood Property Ltd
The Biggest House Selling Mistake to Avoid
That pretty much says it all. The biggest of our house selling mistakes to avoid is choosing the wrong estate agent. Choose one that really cares about doing the very best job for you. We have some really professional estate agents in Plymouth, just as inany other city. However, we also have a few that care a little less. Happily, the good ones outnumber the bad. Massively.
