Avoid These 6 Costly Mistakes When Selling Your Home

Avoid These 6 Costly Mistakes When Selling Your Home

What are typical mistakes sellers make that ultimately cost them money when listing their home for sale?

Selling your home can be a profitable and smooth process if you do it thoughtfully, strategically and if you avoid the pitfalls that cause many sellers to lose time, money and momentum. A few come to mind. Here is how to avoid those 6 costly mistakes when selling your home:

1. Overpricing From the Start

I get human nature. It is very tempting to start high and “see what happens.” We often hear “I am not in any rush to sell.” But pricing your home above market value can backfire fast and accumulating market time can compromise your sales momentum and negotiating leverage. An overpriced home often sits on the market, becoming stale and sparking suspicion among buyers. “What is wrong with it?” they ask.

Instead, it is important to do the research into comparables and set a competitive price based on that local data and current demand. The right price draws in serious buyers, often leading to stronger offers and faster closings; sometimes even more than one buyer may bite! Bidding war, anyone?

2. Skipping Pre-Sale Prep

Buyers notice the details. Homes that feel clean, well-maintained, and move-in ready command more attention and higher offers. They do better on inspection. That perception carries through to the end and to the bottom line.

Common oversights include:

• Not decluttering or deep cleaning
• Ignoring minor repairs like squeaky doors or chipped paint
• Leaving personal items or bold decor in place
• Not doing a landscape refresh before photos

Prepping your home probably does not mean a full renovation. A weekend of cleaning, touch-ups, and neutral staging can make a big difference.

3. Using Low-Quality Listing Photos

First impressions happen online — and blurry phone photos can turn a buyer off before they ever schedule a showing. High-quality listing photos (or better yet, professional photography) showcase your home’s best features, lighting, and layout. They invite the viewer to set up a tour!

Make sure your listing includes:

• Bright, well-lit photos of every room
• Exterior shots from multiple angles
• Highlighted features like outdoor spaces, kitchens, or views

Pro tip, you Realtor can frontload the unique selling features in the order of shots online. That Sound view can come directly after the main house photo. The difference in buyer interest can be dramatic.

4. Being Inflexible With Showings

If buyers can’t see your home, they won’t make offers. Sellers who limit showing times or reject last-minute requests may unintentionally block serious buyers from stepping inside.

Try to:

• Keep your schedule as open as possible during the first week or so. Some sellers stay with a friend or family member, or go out of town.
• Use a lockbox or showing service for easy access
• Be prepared to leave the house on short notice

Yes, it’s inconvenient — but being flexible will procure a buyer sooner and put an end to this stage.

5. Letting Emotions Drive Decisions

Selling a home is emotional, especially if the house has been in the family for a long time. But decisions based on sentiment rather than strategy can be costly.

Examples include:

• Taking feedback personally
• Holding out for a buyer who wants to raise their kids in the house like you did
• Rejecting offers “on principal” without considering what is in your best business interests

Try to treat the sale like a business transaction. Trust your agent’s expertise and focus on the bigger picture: maximizing value and moving to closing.

6. Failing to Tighten up Contract Variables During Negotiations

This one could be a whole post! Negotiate a solid deal for yourself while the buyer is in the right frame of mind. Once you reach mutual agreement their state of mind will toughen. While they are excited, consider eliminating as many contingencies as possible. Off-ramps can kill your momentum and raise questions if buyers back out. For example, the pre-inspection is a great tool for encouraging a buyer to waive that condition. That is the most likely place for them to exit. Having the title company run a title report ahead of time can bring a buyer piece of mind to exclude title review as a contingency. If you have a multiple offer situation, your agent can encourage the buyers’ agents to write the cleanest offer they can (i.e. with the fewest off-ramps!) Shorten timeframes wherever possible! Time is the enemy and you want less of it. Time is what opens the door to changes. People’s lives always evolve and sometimes they evolve to a point where they back out of the house deal. It is in your best interest to have less time for the universe to throw a curveball. Ask your agent about the financing contingency. Can that be automatically deemed satisfied at a certain point, as opposed to needing to ask for that to be removed? That would be in your best interest.

One More Thing: Consider Offering a Selling Office Commission

Not all buyers have a pile of money to pay loan fees, down payment, title and escrow AND their Realtor. Building the commission into the price of the home is smart strategy, opening up the house to more buyers.

Final Takeaway

Avoiding these five mistakes can put you in a stronger position to sell your home quickly, profitably, and with less stress. From pricing and prep to photography and mindset, it all can lead to a much better outcome.