6 Home Seller Presale Mistakes to Avoid
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Remember: Home sales aren’t about you or what you want. They’re about the potential buyers and what they want. Since you don’t necessarily know the identity of your potential buyers, a good rule of thumb for home improvements is to stay as neutral as possible. Avoiding the following mistakes could help you save thousands of dollars on your home sale.
1. Going too trendy. If your home improvement projects appeal too much to your own taste, it won’t bode well for a home that’s featured on thousands of websites around the world. It diminishes the home’s ability to show nicely to the masses. When it comes to home sales, neutral is definitely better than trendy.
2. Smart house, dumb decision. Smart home technology is getting more and more popular, but that’s not to say that you should assume buyers will always care that much about it. If you’re going to spend thousands of dollars on smart home technology, it’s better to do it for yourself rather than potential buyers.
3. Adding a guesthouse. Most buyers probably won’t care about having a guest home on the property, and they might even just demolish it if they do decide to purchase your home. It’s a waste of money to add one in for the purpose of selling.
4. Rehabbing the roof. Roofs are important to keep the rain and elements out of the home. The challenge is that sellers think they can get more money by putting on a brand-new roof prior to listing. Yes, the roof should be repaired if it’s leaking, but don’t expect to get more money out of a new one; buyers expect the roof to be in good condition. As long as the roof has a few good years left in it, they won’t much care if it’s brand new or not.
When it comes to home sales, neutral is definitely better than trendy.
5. DIYing to cut corners. Sometimes it’s okay to do small home projects on our own, but for many projects, it’s important to hire a professional. There’s a reason why they’re called professionals—it’s what they’re paid and trained to do. If you’re working on a high-impact zone like the kitchen or bathroom, remember that small mistakes stick out to buyers. Don’t overestimate your ability to do it yourself.
6. Opening Pandora’s box. Sometimes you start a project, thinking that it’s one simple thing at first. That project can then turn into another, and another, and another—this can cost you thousands of dollars. Hiring a professional will allow you to get the one project you had in mind finished without creating a bunch more.
If you want to learn more, check out this article that goes into more detail about these home seller mistakes to avoid. For any other questions you have, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. At Yoder Real Estate, we’re here to help you.
