Setting your price too high could cause your home to sit on the market for an extended period of time, making it unattractive to buyers who think it isn’t selling because there must be something wrong with it.
How to Facilitate a Smooth Transaction and Get the Best Price
This is a question that nobody who has listed a home for sale wants to ask. Unfortunately, homeowners who fail to properly prepare themselves may find themselves asking it. Here are five mistakes to avoid when putting your New Orleans house up for sale:
1. Not Hiring a Realtor
Many people don’t want to pay a Realtor to sell their home, thinking they can sell it themselves and avoid the associated fees. For Sale by Owner (FSBO) might be possible if you don’t mind setting the price, listing the property, handling the marketing, staging the home, fielding calls, doing showings, negotiating with potential buyers, drafting the necessary paperwork, and closing the sale. If you’re skeptical, consider this: according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), FSBO accounted for only eight percent of all home sales in 2016.
2. Hiring the Wrong Realtor
Once you’ve decided to hire a Realtor, one of the biggest mistakes you can make when selling your home is listing it with the wrong agent. While you may be tempted to use the Realtor who helped you buy your home years ago or a family member/friend who also happens to be an agent, it’s not that easy. Who you choose to help you sell your home is a major decision and you can’t afford to pick the wrong one. Take the time to choose an experienced New Orleans real estate agent who specializes in the local market.
3. Asking an Unrealistic Price
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to make a profit from selling your home, but you could be wrong about what it’s actually worth. Setting your price too high could cause your home to sit on the market for an extended period of time, making it unattractive to buyers who think it isn’t selling because there must be something wrong with it. A real estate professional can provide you with a comparative market analysis that will help determine the correct basing price for your home, based on similar homes in your neighborhood, prices of homes currently for sale, and recent sales.
4. Not Preparing Your Home for Sale
Selling a home requires much more than putting a for-sale sign in your front yard or an ad in the newspaper. Instead, you’ll need to prepare it for sale by thinking like a buyer. This can be done in a variety of ways, including cleaning the home inside and out, improving the landscaping, buying a new welcome mat, painting the front door, de-cluttering each room, repainting with neutral tones, simplifying the décor, and performing routine maintenance.
5. Skimping on Listing Photos
We live in a visual world, and a picture is worth a thousand words, particularly when you are trying to sell your home. Today’s buyers frequently get their first glimpse of a home from a photograph in an MLS listing, and quality definitely matters. Homes listed with photographs taken with a professional camera typically sell faster and for more money.
Contact an Experienced New Orleans Area Realtor Today
At Satsuma Realtors, we’re passionate about the local New Orleans real estate market; we’ve been making the process seamless and swift for our clients since 2009. For help selling your home, contact us to discuss your real estate needs and goals.