Know what they are and you can avoid them when it’s your turn to sell.
Clingy sellers
It can be extremely difficult to let go of a property, especially if it’s somewhere you’ve made a home and stitched together memories. But once you’ve decided to sell you need to commit to that process.
Give your agent room to do their job, and potential buyers the space they need to get hooked. Sellers that linger during an open inspection, or start regaling inspectees with merry tales of every last crevice will turn most people off.
Even if your stories are actually quite charming, you need to remember that selling a property is a business transaction and stay as dispassionate and objective as possible.
“Selling a property is a business transaction – stay as dispassionate as possible.”
Dirt
Walking into a property that’s not well presented is often the death knell for a sale. Buyers will walk away if they’re inundated with dust, dirt or other muck. Make an effort, and hire a professional cleaner, home stager, or both if you need a hand.
Thoroughly clean the entire property, including all those areas you think no one notices. Living areas, backyards, bathrooms and toilets should get extra attention (you’d be surprised how many people use the bathroom at an inspection).
You can’t really overdo cleaning when it comes to selling – properties that just look neat and acceptable might not be enough, especially if you’re commanding top dollar.
Smells
Ah, the good ol’ nose, always ruining things. Actually, we should be glad we’re so sensitive to smell, and that smells can have a big impact on our property buying process.
Setting up your place for sale can involve creating a set of inviting smells. But it should also involve getting rid of the unappealing ones.
Top of buyers turn off lists are pet smells. Even if we love our own animals, we don’t really want to smell other people’s, especially when it’s in an environment we’re trying to imagine kicking back and relaxing in.
Other smell turn offs are cigarette smoke, mustiness, food and overpowering perfumes or incense (if you’re dressing your home for sale, less is more).
Clutter
If your property is for sale, you usually need to do a little more than a quick spruce (unless you keep an amazing home all year round). Declutter strategically and systematically, starting with those areas that will interest most buyers when they inspect your home, and the areas they’ll do most of their living in.
A cluttered living room is harder to explain away than a cluttered garage, for example.
Getting a professional organiser in to help you out can be a great idea, especially if you’re overwhelmed with all the other business involved in selling a home – not to mention living your life around it.
A pro can look at your clutter objectively and take quick, decisive action to remove the excess and store the rest out of sight.
No price
Fewer things will frustrate a buyer more than looking at an advertised property with no price.
Your listing is usually the first time your possible buyer will see your home. If the required detail isn’t there, it’ll have be something truly unique to get them to dig deeper, rather than just scrolling past to the next property that meets their criteria.
Budget is all important for a buyer. It’s not always possible to pin down a finite dollar figure, but if your property advertising doesn’t at least have a range listed, it’s a top turn off for buyers, who probably think they’re in for a nasty shock (even if the home is reasonably priced).
Help them marry their budget to your property and be upfront.
No photos
Would you buy a product sight unseen?
Photos are the single most powerful tool to inspire a potential buyer to inspect a home or make an enquiry. People need to imagine their lives in your property or get an authentic impression of how it will stand up as an investment.
Work with your agent to create a series of photos or video that shows your home in its best possible light. No visuals bode poorly.
Your agent
Just as your agent can make your sale, they might also break it if buyers are finding them hard to reach, or difficult to deal with.
Your agent is working for you, so make sure they’re treating buyers with respect and professionalism. Most agents are great at this and you should be able to ferret out their personality when you meet, greet and decide to appoint them.
Avoid these traps and you won’t sabotage your sale before you even start. It always helps to put yourself in the shoes of the buyer.
Would you buy a home with insufficient information listed or one that looked messy, chaotic or smelt funky when you went for an inspection?
