For most people, their home is the biggest financial investment they make. When it comes time to sell, you want to be smart about it. Knowing what steps you should take to get the biggest return is important. However, equally crucial is knowing what not to do when selling your Westfield home. So, keep the following tips in mind.
What Not to Do When Selling Your Westfield Home
Not Listening to your REALTOR@
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One of the biggest problems you’ll find when selling your Westfield home is when you don’t take your agent’s advice. You believed they were skilled and knowledgeable enough to hire them. Why would you ignore what they have to say? If they believe you priced your home too high, you might want to bring it down. Did they tell you to make a few small repairs? Do it? Remember, you hired them to act in your best interest. It would behoove you to follow their advice.
Ignoring Necessary Repairs
Leaky faucets, squeaky hinges and broken doors throw all kinds of red flags up for Westfield buyers. In their minds, this speaks to a general lack of upkeep on your part. It could indicate bigger problems underneath the surface to buyers. That translates to a lower offer. Don’t wait for the home inspection to take care of any repairs. Get them completed before you list your property. And, if a buyer asks for certain repairs to be done before the final papers are signed, take this into serious consideration. It would be awful to throw away a high end deal simply because you don’t want to take care of a few hundred dollars in repairs.
Limiting Showings
When selling your Westfield home, throw privacy out the window to a certain extent. If a buyer wants to see your Westfield home, let them. Limiting showings or open houses limits the traffic that comes into your home. Limiting traffic means lowering the chances of finding the right buyer.
Staying for Showings
Fight the urge to stick around for an open house or showing. This makes potential buyers uncomfortable. They need to see this as “their space”. That’s harder to do when the current owners hover around them while they go from room to room. Instead, take the dog for a walk. Go visit friends. Have lunch and go see an afternoon matinee. Whatever you do, just get out of the house.
Being Messy
Cleanliness is next to godliness. It’s also the best way to showcase your Westfield home in its finest light. Clean off counters and put away your things after you use them. Empty the trash on a daily basis. You never know when your agent will say they have a potential buyer wanting to stop by in the next half hour. If you keep things tidy all the time, there’s no last minute rush to prepare for a visit. This also applies to family pets. Some people are allergic to animals. And nobody likes to smell pet odors. Litter boxes should be emptied several times a day, if necessary. Keep pets outdoors whenever possible. If they are strictly indoor animals, try to sequester them to one general location. If possible, consider asking friends or family to temporarily house your pet while your home is up for sale.
Being Close-Minded
You love your home. Your family grew up in this house. You chose every bit of furnishing and decor inside of it. It’s understandable to have an emotional attachment to it. However, when selling your Westfield home, don’t let this emotional attachment be your downfall. Give equal consideration to every offer you receive. Discuss the offer with your REALTOR@ to decide whether it is fair or should be countered. Don’t toss it aside if it doesn’t meet the number you have in your head.
Keep these tips in mind when selling your Westfield home. You want a successful transaction. I want you to be successful as well. Contact me so we can go over a strategy that will help you meet your goals today.
Scott Gleason, CRS at Coldwell Banker Realty – East, NJ Luxury Homes