Has your cherished family home become a castle too big to clean? Are there too many stairs to tackle on a daily basis? Any empty nest is the beginning of great possibilities for this new chapter of your life. With your next home possibly being your forever home, it makes getting the highest return on the investment you have made in your current home vital to supporting your desired lifestyle. 

The home selling process can be overwhelming for anyone, including for those who’ve been through it in years past. But it doesn’t have to be. If you are looking to sell your home fast and to maximize your profit, there are a few important things you should know before wasting any of your precious time, energy or money. After helping hundreds of families in Cobb and Paulding Counties successfully sell their homes, our team understands the temptations of “quick solutions” that busy sellers face in their attempts to save time and money. Take it from those who learned the hard way and avoid these top 5 mistakes that could cost you thousands. To get answers to even more of your questions about selling, watch our video series made for families just like yours to uncover industry secrets to successfully selling your home quickly and for top dollar.

Mistake #1 – Painting The Wrong Colors

Every home is going to require at least a little refresh before bringing it to the market. The area where you’ll get the biggest bang for your buck is with paint. A neutral wall color invites a buyer to imagine the home their way. Remember, that is a good thing because you won’t be living there much longer! If you aren’t sure whether your home deserves a cool or warm neutral, then ask the advice of the professionals you hire to give the whole home a fresh coat of paint. This is one project where it does not pay to cut corners.

Mistake #2 – Overlooking Updates or Repairs

Before you get too caught up in getting your property photo-ready and on the market, take a breath. Then follow it with an honest look at what the public would see if they walked in your front door today. Imagine yourself walking into a department store and seeing a rack full of wrinkled clothes hung in a random fashion. In most cases, you’d turn around and take your business elsewhere. 

As time has passed and your home has become “well-loved” there are likely some items that are in need of repair or replacing. Putting off what can often be quick fixes end up being more costly than the repair itself, in terms of time wasted on the market and buyers asking for credits toward repairs. Something as simple as replacing mismatched light bulbs with new soft white bulbs makes a huge difference. The best way to rid your home of potential red flags is to bring in a set of fresh eyes to alert you to things you don’t see anymore and fix the issue before it becomes an obstacle to potential buyers.

Mistake #3 – Over-Pricing Your Property

The number one misconception we hear from sellers is “We can always drop the price later so let’s start high”. By over-pricing their property, they believe they are cushioning their profit margin. The reality is that months can slip away as the property sits on the market. Truthfully, even after dropping the price, buyers may still be wary of making an offer. Most families cannot wait around for months, especially if there is another “bun” in the oven! If your property is priced right from the beginning, you can expect to receive 99.5% of the list price on average. Working with a local Realtor who knows how to determine the best list price in today’s market is the first, and arguably most vital, a step that leads to its successful sale.

Mistake #4 – Attempting For Sale By Owner “FSBO”

The sad fact is that sellers who go the “FSBO” route typically lose money, even with their best D.I.Y. efforts. A recent study by the National Association of Realtors showed that a typical For Sale By Owner home sold for only $200,000, versus $265,000 for a comparable home sold with the assistance of an experienced agent. That’s a few years’ worths of retirement income you could be missing out on!

The areas where FSBO home sellers are most challenged are: 

1. Getting the price right
2. Understanding and executing the proper paperwork
3. Marketing and selling within a reasonable amount of time
4. Properly preparing and depersonalizing their home
5. Having enough time to handle all aspects of the sale

Before you opt-in for late nights of researching your local market or having to leave work early to let a potential buyer in, consider if the all-around circus that you could be signing up for is really worth it. When it comes to one of the most complex transactions of your life, working with a team of professional Realtors who do this all day, every day, drastically simplifies the process. Your time (and sanity) is invaluable. Spend it doing the things you really want to be doing.

Mistake #5 – Choosing The Wrong Realtor

As you can see, the key to selling your home quickly and maximizing your profit is being represented by a knowledgeable, local Realtor. Your relative or neighbor who dabbles in real estate may have your best intentions at heart, but when it comes to the capital involved in this critical transaction, trust a team of experts.

When beginning your search for the right Realtor for the job:

1. Start by reading client reviews of local agents to see what kind of experience you can expect with their team.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask good questions, such as how they plan to market and sell your home, or how they would handle tough negotiations. You can even do a mock negotiation and play the role of the buyer. You’ll also want to know how they will be communicating with you throughout the process.
3. Most importantly, get down to business. Ask if they would represent a seller interested in your home, which is called “dual agency”, or if there are any competing homes that they’re currently listing. You will want to be sure their priority lies with you.
4. If you are ready to downsize and want to move into a new home, we hope you will take these warnings to heart. Protect your hard-earned equity by choosing a qualified team of professionals to represent you in the process of selling your home!

Are you ready to get started on the road toward SOLD? Step one is to contact our team to learn more about the 5 Star, white-glove service we provide to our clients. Kathryn began her career in real estate years ago to help families achieve their dreams. To this day, that is still the basis of our business! Connect with us over the phone 24/7 at 678.270.2242, or engage our chatbot to start a conversation. Then, check out our video series made for families just like yours to prepare for a quick and successful home sale.