5 common mistakes to avoid when selling your property

Regardless of your motivation, it is essential to steer clear of these common errors when selling your property to maximise your sales price and minimise your stress.

1. Wrong agent

Choosing an agent to sell your home can be a very individual decision.

That's because we always gel with people differently, so the right agent for your personality might not necessarily be the perfect fit for someone else.

As well as the ability to develop a strong working relationship, you should also look for a sales agent that has great testimonials.

To give yourself the best chance of choosing the right agent, do your research on the prices the agent achieves and the reviews he gets from past clients.

Don't fall for who is the flashiest; choose the agent who has strong marketing ideas and is willing to give you all their time and energy.

2. No preparation

Sure you might think your home is your castle, but buyers won't necessarily think the same way. To improve the chances of buyers viewing your property favourably, make sure you have it looking your best.

That means inside and out – too many sellers forget that the first impression buyers get of their home is from the outside so mow those lawns and tidy up the garden.

You should also de-clutter as much as possible because you want buyers to be able to visualise owning your home.

3. Not taking agents advice

Another common mistake is sellers who try tell the agent how to get the best price.

When you think about it, what's the point of using an agent if you are not going to take the advice on board and execute. Agents sell property all day and have a strong understanding on how to prepare a property for sale and best methods to sell.

4. No market knowledge

I am talking about vendors who can't decide what price to list their property because they don't understand their local market.

While your agent can and will advise you on market conditions, it is ultimately your decision what price you are prepared to sell the property for.

If you have no idea, well, no one else will be able to meet your price expectation because you never set one in the first place.

5. DIY approach

One of the most common mistakes since the advent of the internet is attempting to sell your property privately.

Sure the internet has given listings a greater reach than ever before, but there is a lot more involved in selling real estate than popping an ad on a real estate portal. 

Some of the biggest issues that private sellers have is pricing their property correctly for the current market conditions as well as having the ability to negotiate.

Professional sales agents will earn their commissions through advising you on the current market conditions, preparing your property for sale as well as negotiating on your behalf.

That way, you're much more likely to end up with a successful result rather than being stuck with a stale listing that no one is interested in.