Considerations

A - House Selling Problems: Recognize any of these situations?

Is this a divorce sale? 

Never appear to have any reason that says you have to move. Rooms void of furniture and the obvious absence of clothes in the master closet are giveaways that you are motivated to sell and will be a weaker negotiator. Borrow some furniture and clothes if you have to, but don’t look desperate in the eyes of the buyers.

Is this an estate sale? 

Heirs to a home aren’t heavily motivated and often want the maximum selling price they think it can generate. This results in a property that sits for a long time, accumulating taxes, using utilities, requiring maintenance and costing insurance. Most insurance companies will jack up the premium or cancel the policy on a vacant house.  

Try to get agreement that one heir will have legal authority to negotiate the purchase offer. Consider hiring services to help maintain the property. Heirs often take their favorite furniture and accessories, leaving an outdated and forlorn presentation. Avoid this as it could lead to a much lower selling price. 

 Do you have children? 

From about junior high age and up, a move outside the area is extremely disruptive to a child. They may be apathetic to the stress you’re going through and demonstrate their indifference with a lack of support to your selling efforts. Help make them feel a part of the entire process–the sell as well as the buy.  

They also need to know that their room must be ready at all times for a showing (this means before going to school). This includes tidy rooms and removing posters that may be perceived as offensive.   

Selling due to illness? 

Selling when a family member has a serious health illness is draining to the caregiver. Buyers can feel depressed and cut the appointment short as they tour an “unhappy” house with a bedridden resident. If the marketing period drags on it will induce vulnerability to just get it over. 

If at all possible, have the patient moved to another residence during the marketing period. Get the price down to the lower end of your intended price range. It will sell quicker and for more money than if the situation is left to continue. 

Never use your front door? 

Most homeowners enter their home through the garage or a side door. However, the buyers should always come through the front door. Otherwise, they enter from an unnatural starting point, making them feel disoriented. 

If you’re listing your home and you’ve lost the key to the main entrance, contact a locksmith for a new key. Also, when owners don’t use the front door, they sometimes will arrange their furnishings such that the front entrance is blocked. Time to rearrange for the public.

Hard to dismiss memories your home provided? 

Pack up personal photos and attempt to neutralize your home. Take a tip from builders whose model homes lack personalization. No personalizing, no distractions. 

Qualify as an older homeowner?

Older owners often let maintenance issues slide. They’ve become comfortable with their world and accept the obvious flaws: the squeaky door, the cabinet that won't close correctly, the sunken doorsteps, the numerous little things that become easily overlooked–except by the buying prospects.  

Long-time owners need their children, trusted friends or a third party to help point out these problem areas. Every home has them; just be sure to fix them.  

Feel hurried - missing out on buyers right now? 

Put your home on the market only when everything is repaired, clean and ready. The idea of fixing things after you go on the market is terrible.

The first two weeks on the market are critical. That’s because the current group of active buyers will be shown your home. And if your home is not looking its best, it will be judged accordingly.

Example: Suppose there are currently a dozen buyers who would consider your home because it meets their criteria. If those buyers view your property and it doesn’t create interest because of cleanliness, repair or disorganization issues, they will not be impressed. Then you've just lost the current crop of buyers. Kiss a quick sale goodbye.

Buyers don’t come back for a second appointment if they’ve already seen a home and formed a negative opinion about its value. 

To get your price, this means that your buyers will have to come from new prospects entering the marketplace.

It could take several weeks or even months for an equivalent number of buyers to eventually enter the market in search of a home where yours is targeted. The first few weeks on the market are very important.

Have a product that can sell–before you put it up for sale. 

Want to exclude items from your sale? 

Keep exclusions to a minimum. If you can't part with a favorite chandelier or whatever, replace it before any showings. If the buyers never see it, they won't want it. 

If unable to replace it now, provide every prospect with an info sheet/brochure and make it clear that the item was a gift that has sentimental value and offer a dollar reimbursement. This will work. But since you’re going to take it with you, replace it now and eliminate the potential hassle.  

Window treatments are almost always custom made for the home and buyers expect them to stay. Incidentally, the law is rather adamant that anything attached (bolted, nailed or screwed down) is included in the sale of the property. Detach anything you can’t part with, now. These include items like mirrors, shelving, decorating accessories, etc.  

Worried about the extra time needed to sell?

You'll spend about as much time and effort selling by-owner as you would selling with the help of an agent, excluding the time you decide to spend on advertising and promotion. This should take from one to three hours per week.

The seller, obviously not the agent, is responsible for the condition and presentation of the property. And this is THE time consuming chore for selling a home that's being lived in. It takes time and effort to be in A-1 condition for showings and open houses.   

                        It's your time and effort 

Once you realize that it’s the commitment of your time and effort that’s needed to get your home sold, the more determined you should be to learn more about selling on your own (or possibly listing with a discounted commission).