Are you getting ready to sell your house in Indianapolis? As you navigate through the process, you’ll encounter various decision making points. These decision points can completely derail the sale of your house if they result in one of our top 10 mistakes home sellers make here in Indianapolis.
Don’t sweat it though – you’re not necessarily destined to make all these errors! Read on through this blog post and keep these common mistakes home sellers make at the front of your mind as you get started down the road to sell your house.
#1 – Failing to Explore All Your Options
Listing your house on the MLS in Indianapolis is not the only option for selling. There are multiple ways to sell a house nowadays. You have the flexibility to sell it independently, either through the traditional market to conventional buyers or directly to a cash home buyer like 317 Home Buyers. What suits one property seller might not be the ideal choice for you so don’t get stuck thinking you have to sell your house a certain way just because your neighbor up the street did so. Before reaching out to an agent, explore the available alternatives! Discover what 317 Home Buyers can provide for your Indianapolis property! Remember, there’s no obligation involved.
#2 – Pricing It Incorrectly
One common mistake that home sellers make is that they decide to put their house on the market and they set the price too high. People are usually pretty emotionally attached to their house, and a lot of times they fall into the trap of having an inflated value of their house in mind, in spite of what the market shows similar homes sell for. Unfortunately home sellers can fail to acknowledge the actual condition of their home versus others that have sold on the market and inflate the value of their home in this way too. Finally, certain agents might suggest a higher listing price to persuade you to choose them, with the hope of securing your listing even though they know you’ll have to drop your price at some point in order to actually sell the house.
#3 – Failing to Declutter and Remove Personal Items
Picture this: You’re out with your real estate agent visiting a house that you’re interested in buying. The agent opens the door and you walk in to see someone’s junk drawer emptied onto the kitchen table (which is already too big for the space, let alone that it’s now covered with junk), the family photos are all hanging on the wall staring at you, and last night’s leftover dinner dishes are still in the sink. The sight of personal items everywhere can create discomfort. Potential buyers need to be able to envision themselves in the home, not sense intrusion into someone else’s space. It really helps to sell your house if you pack up everything except the essentials and store it until the house is sold but failing to do that is potentially one of the most costly mistakes home sellers make.
#4 – Failing to Account for All Costs
When you opt to put your Indianapolis house on the market, various expenses come into play throughout the sales process. People have a tendency to overlook these expenses because they have their eye on the final sales price, but doing so is yet another of the mistakes home sellers make in Indianapolis. Beyond agent commissions, there are agency admin fees, professional staging, professional photography, marketing charges, listing fees, closing costs, and additional potential expenditures. Further, many sellers fail to consider the cost of ownership of the house during the 2-6 months that it may take to get their house sold. These costs add up quickly but can easily be avoided through a direct sale to 317 Home Buyers.
#5 – Not Making The Needed Repairs
Not doing some things up front will cost you down the road. Once your buyer does an inspection, they will often ask for a number of things to be fixed. You might be blindsided by the number of repairs your house needs. Some sellers choose to have their own inspection done before listing so they have an idea of what they are in for. Taking care of the problems up front will save you time and money down the road.
Or simply sell to 317 Home Buyers as-is.
#6 – Not Disclosing Items Upfront
These items will come back to bite you. Either in the inspection or when the new owner sues you. By law, you have to disclose what you know about the property. Of all the mistakes home sellers make, this one could certainly put you in some of the worst financial burden down the road.
#7 – Not Putting Away Pet & Kid Stuff
While kids and pets are wonderful, not everyone has them. Some people will feel a little uncomfortable if there are chew toys on the couch or legos all over the floor. Remember, the experience is about them. Make the areas feel neutral but welcoming.
#8 – Not Putting Personal Feelings Aside
This is business. If someone comes to view your house and you hear them say they want to pull out the garden to add a deck, don’t get too hung up on it if they plan on paying you the price you want. While you might feel a little sad, this is business, and missing out on a qualified buyer because of something petty can be a huge mistake. I understand it’s tough to do this; we pour our heart and souls into the renovations we do and sometimes buyers don’t like it. It’s just part of it and you have to let it roll off your back and move on.
#9 – Hiring A Bad Agent
It can be easy to hire the wrong agent. Some are full of charm and are great at sales. This is great when they are trying to sell your house, but they also use this charm to get you to sign with them. Make sure they aren’t making false promises or are only worried about their commission. You can look at reviews, but it is best to hear first-hand experience from people you know and trust. You simply aren’t going to click with everyone either. You might find the top agent in town can be incredibly stressful to work with.
#10 – Not Calling 317 Home Buyers First
317 Home Buyers will provide you with the information you need to help you decide how to sell your house. There is never any pressure to sell or obligation when you give us a call. As professional Indianapolis investors, we want to work with you to help you make smart decisions about how to sell!