If you are trying to sell an apartment, try to avoid the following common mistakes sellers make:
1. Pricing the property based on what you need to get out of it or what you think it is worth.
Follow the comps. "Comps" are actual selling prices of properties, comparable to the one you are trying to sell, that have recently sold. While current asking prices tell us what sellers are asking, comps tell us what they're actually getting, and therefore what the true home values are in a particular neighborhood for a particular type of property. Get a CMA from your broker, go over it together, and price your property based on what it will sell for.
2. Assuming that buyers tolerate a lot of mess and clutter.
The perfect house showing is one where the personal affects are missing. You want prospective buyers to be able to envision themselves living in your apartment. Having clean bathrooms and kitchens are most critical. Nothing turns buyers away more than than dirty dishes in the sink or a bathroom in need of a good cleaning.
3. Moving out the furniture.
Each case is different, but generally empty homes tend to stay longer on the market. Which of the identical units looks the best? The ones which are nicely furnished. Empty houses often seem cold and depressing to buyers. The rooms may look bigger without furniture but at the same time they also look soulless.
4. Assuming that home-staging is just for the wealthy.
You want the house or apartment to look as good as possible when potential buyers come to see it. Professional home-stagers can make it look like it's worth hundreds of thousands more than you're asking ( in fact, you might like the new look so much you don't want to sell any more). Homes that are professionally staged often sell faster compared to homes that are not staged.
5. Assuming that your pet doesn't smell.
We hope that everyone loves pets as much as we do. But we also know that not everyone shares our affection for pets. In fact, about 15 percent of the population is allergic to dogs and even more are allergic to cats.
It is recommended that whenever possible, pets are removed for showings. As far as the odor issue is concerned: we often grow immune to smells that we live with. Many an ex-cigarette smoker has noticed how he never smelled the cigarettes while he smoked them but now that he's stopped, he can smell someone smoking blocks away. If you have a pet and put your home on the market for sale, it might be a good idea to steam clean the carpets and upholstered furniture and wash the bedspreads before any potential buyers come in.
1. Pricing the property based on what you need to get out of it or what you think it is worth.
Follow the comps. "Comps" are actual selling prices of properties, comparable to the one you are trying to sell, that have recently sold. While current asking prices tell us what sellers are asking, comps tell us what they're actually getting, and therefore what the true home values are in a particular neighborhood for a particular type of property. Get a CMA from your broker, go over it together, and price your property based on what it will sell for.
2. Assuming that buyers tolerate a lot of mess and clutter.
The perfect house showing is one where the personal affects are missing. You want prospective buyers to be able to envision themselves living in your apartment. Having clean bathrooms and kitchens are most critical. Nothing turns buyers away more than than dirty dishes in the sink or a bathroom in need of a good cleaning.
3. Moving out the furniture.
Each case is different, but generally empty homes tend to stay longer on the market. Which of the identical units looks the best? The ones which are nicely furnished. Empty houses often seem cold and depressing to buyers. The rooms may look bigger without furniture but at the same time they also look soulless.
4. Assuming that home-staging is just for the wealthy.
You want the house or apartment to look as good as possible when potential buyers come to see it. Professional home-stagers can make it look like it's worth hundreds of thousands more than you're asking ( in fact, you might like the new look so much you don't want to sell any more). Homes that are professionally staged often sell faster compared to homes that are not staged.
5. Assuming that your pet doesn't smell.
We hope that everyone loves pets as much as we do. But we also know that not everyone shares our affection for pets. In fact, about 15 percent of the population is allergic to dogs and even more are allergic to cats.
It is recommended that whenever possible, pets are removed for showings. As far as the odor issue is concerned: we often grow immune to smells that we live with. Many an ex-cigarette smoker has noticed how he never smelled the cigarettes while he smoked them but now that he's stopped, he can smell someone smoking blocks away. If you have a pet and put your home on the market for sale, it might be a good idea to steam clean the carpets and upholstered furniture and wash the bedspreads before any potential buyers come in.
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Ask us for a FREE, no obligation PROPERTY VALUE ESTIMATE (CMA)