Published January 16, 2019
Debunking 6 Common Home Selling Myths
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Realtor.com recently released an article on six common myths today’s home sellers believe, and we’d like to share these misconceptions with you now.
1. “You can sell your home on your own.” Though listing For Sale By Owner has become more popular recently, this doesn’t mean it’s actually an effective option. Anybody (and I mean anybody) can stake a sign in their yard, put an ad online, and pray that their home gets sold, but a successful home sale takes much more than these steps alone. If you truly want to earn top dollar, you’ll need a professional by your side. You’ll need the assistance of someone who understands current market trends, can interpret and explain real estate contracts, has a strong marketing plan, and has the knowledge and experience to negotiate on your behalf.
2. “You know exactly what your home is really worth.” You may know exactly how much love and care you’ve put into making your home look its best, so, therefore, you must be the most qualified person to determine what it’s worth, right? Wrong. Pricing a home is very complex. Only a qualified professional can truly determine what your home is worth.
3. “It’s a seller’s market, so you can (and should) sell your home as is.” Today’s buyers are a different breed. Despite the current high demand, they aren’t willing to settle on just any home. They want clean, tasteful properties. At a bare minimum, you need to deep clean and declutter your listing before you put it on the market.
Despite the current high demand, buyers aren't willing to settle on just any home.
”4. “Upgrades should be drastic.” Sprucing up your home before you list is great, but don’t go overboard. Not every improvement you make will bring a high return. You should always speak with your agent about which projects to take on before you get started. This way, you don’t sink a ton of money into something that won’t add value at the end of your deal. Over-improving a home could actually hurt your sale.
5. “Spring is the best time to sell.” While the spring months are traditionally a favorable time for real estate, our local market seems to see high demand all year long as of late. In short, don’t delay your sale for the sake of trying to time the market.
6. “Online home evaluations are reliable.” Online home value estimates, like those from Zillow and Realtor.com, are often off by a significant amount. When it comes to such a large investment, you simply can’t afford to trust such a highly inaccurate source. These tools may be a good starting point, but they can’t replace the input of an experienced real estate professional.
If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
