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Are you looking to sell your home?
You hire a real estate agent for their expertise to sell your home fast and for what it’s worth. To make the most of your agent, you want to have a good relationship with them. But if you’re not careful, it’s easy to get off on the wrong foot even if you don’t mean to.
Read on for these seven things sellers do that drive real estate agents crazy, so you know what to avoid.
1. Being Involved in the Viewing
While it’s an anxious time, people coming to view your home, you don’t need to be there. That’s what you’re paying an agent to do, and they know how to do it. It’s their job after all, and you being there makes you a spare part.
It can feel uncomfortable for buyers to tour someone else’s home they don’t know. And if you’re still in the house, it can only end up increasing that feeling. You can make them feel as though they’re intruding.
You can still let the buyers know everything you want to tell them about how amazing your home is. But do it through your agent. Tell your agent what you’d want to say to the buyers as big selling points, show them around your favorite parts. Then, let them focus on doing the selling.
2. Expecting Value From Upgrades
What you consider an upgrade might not be an upgrade for someone else. Some things are obvious. Like replacing your 30-year-old appliances with new, modern smart ones. But not every change you make will seem an immediate positive for the buyer.
Putting in a new, thick, lush carpet is a great example. For some, it’s going to be a huge bonus. But if a buyer has allergies and would rip it up and replace it with hardwood, they’re not going to care about how new it is.
Everyone thinks that their home has features that make it more valuable. But you need to remember, that’s not for you to decide and to push. That’s for your buyers to work out.
3. Promising to Make Repairs But Not Doing Them
Doing the small repairs before you put your house up for sale is something you should do. It’s a low-cost, low-effort way to add a little extra to your home’s value.
So, if you tell your real estate agent when they come to see the house you’ll make repairs, do them! If you tell your agent you plan to make repairs that need doing, they will then tell the buyer. The buyer will then expect this to happen.
If you forget, or it’s too costly, or you change your mind for any reason, it’s not you left in the mud. It’s your agent who has to come in and smooth everything over.
4. Not Cleaning Up for Viewings
Whatever happens, make sure your home is clean and tidy for viewings. Whether you clean it yourself or hire professional cleaners, make sure it’s spotless top to bottom.
Make sure your home matches your listing photos. And as an extra tip, try to depersonalize and declutter. Buyers want to be able to view how they’d live in your home, not how YOU live in your home.
You don’t have to have the perfect showroom home, life (and kids) can’t stop. Agents and buyers understand that. But you can still keep things clean and tidy ahead of a viewing.
5. Being Greedy
You’ve had your home inspection, prepped, and taking professional staged pictures. Now, your agent is getting their marketing plan off to a bang.
Within a few days, you might have a few buyers eager to come and see your house. And when they do, they might put in offers for the full asking price.
If you’re lucky to be in this situation, don’t push it. It might be tempting to think if you had strong offers now, you might get even better ones in a few weeks. But, as your agent will likely say, the first on-offer is often the best one you’ll get.
After a few weeks, the initial buyer excitement of your home being new to the market will fade. They’ll start thinking if it’s so great, why is it still available? This could put buyers off completely. Or thinking something must be wrong, they’ll put in lower offers.
6. Being Difficult With Viewings
If you want your property to sell, then you need to be flexible and work with your agent a little. Even if it’s an inconvenience for a short while.
You can’t demand unreasonable amounts of notice before buyers come round. If a buyer struggles to get a viewing time that suits them, it’s unlikely they’ll keep trying for long. They’ll move on to the next property on their list, and you might lose out on a potential sale.
It’s a stressful process, we understand that. And sometimes, buyers preferred viewing times aren’t the most convenient for you. But if you want to sell, then you need to get the buyers through the door. Even if that means bending your schedule for a little while.
7. Not Listening to Sound Advice
Real estate agents are there to guide and help you through selling your home. This is how they make their living, and they’ll have a wealth of experience and knowledge you want to make use of.
Even if they give you advice you don’t want to hear.
The biggest area where you should listen to your agent though is when it comes to the initial asking price. They’ll have sold hundreds of homes in your area, and some much like your own. They know the market better than anyone.
We all want the most we can get for our home, and think they’re valuable. Because to us, they are. But put aside the sentimentality, and listen to your agent. It’s the best chance you have of getting the right sale for you.
Let Real Estate Agents Do Their Job
So, there you have it! Now you know these seven things to avoid so you can get the most out of your real estate agents.
Listen to the sage wisdom your agent has to offer and make the most of the time you have with them. They know what they’re doing, and will be in the best position to get you the sale your home deserves. So sit back, and let them do the hard work for you.
If you’re looking to sell your home, contact us today. At Dean Miller Real Estate, we have the expertise to help you with all your real estate needs.
