Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your Home

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1. Shortchanging Your Sale By Going Alone

There are a lot of things you can do yourself to prepare to sell your house in the Sulphur Springs or in Hopkins County and surrounding areas. But knowing what price to go with can be tricky. After a home closes and is finally sold, that final number represents what the real estate market supports in the current climate. The initial asking prices don’t reflect what buyers ended up paying for a property.

The value of a property also varies depending on existing upgrades, current finishes, size, needed improvements, and much more (for more on that, see point #2). Making a wrong decision on how you sell your property can significantly reduce your bottom line in dollars. This is where a professional agent can help you.  For example, hiring one of our experienced agents, you get these added benefits:

• Expert advice on pricing and staging
• Customized marketing, both in print and digital, using multiple platforms
• Market-savvy descriptions to generate buyer interest
• Advertising on several social media channels
• Marketed to Dallas and Tyler through a real estate (only) listing service
• Professional Photography, Drone footage, or videography
• An advocate for your interests in negotiations with buyers
• Contracts and paperwork are taking care of, to protect your interest 
• Getting to work with the #1 Independent Realtor office in Hopkins County

If you choose to work with a professional agent, it should be a genuine partnership—one that also gives you perks.

2. Overpricing or Underpricing Your Home

We use a database of comps in the Sulphur Springs area (or county where the property is located) to help you figure out what the actual value of your home is, and what you can reasonably list your home for.

We’ve seen houses sit on the market for years simply because they are overpriced.

When willing to negotiate during the selling process, you are far more likely to quickly close the deal.

On the other hand, a listing price that is low may create a bidding war where you will receive multiple offers at one time. But if it is too low it might create concern from the buyers as to what is wrong with the property. Again, this is where a professional can assist you.

3. Selling Your Home As Is

Sometimes this is necessary when you don’t have time or resources to make any changes. But there are simple repairs or upgrades you can do that add value to your home.

This could be:

• new roofing
• landscaping for a little curb appeal
• a fresh coat of paint
• power washing siding
• and more

Even inexpensive maintenance can help your home in Sulphur Springs photograph better and sell more quickly. Your real estate broker will offer a fresh perspective to things you may overlook after years in the same home.

If you’re open to advice, you can increase the value of your home.

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4. Investing in the Wrong Places

Some home improvements don’t really add value to your home in the long run and can be a waste of your time and money. So be sure to ask your real estate agent about any improvements before you financially commit to start on them. 

Another simple thing you can do when your house is on the market is rearranging furniture or removing excess furniture. Staging is important and doesn’t require you to pay someone. This is something you can do on your own. Ask your realtor the best ways to do that with your home.

Let your agent advise you on maintenance that will make you money in the long run.

5. Skimping on Photography

These days most buyers are looking for high quality photos of your home.

Your real estate agent should be able to line up a photographer to come out on a day that your home is photo ready, and get high quality shots of the interior and exterior. Your agent should also be able to schedule an experienced drone photographer for high quality drone footage of the property.

While these photos should show your home in the best possible light, don’t go out of your way to hide any major damage you’re not planning to repair.

You’ll be found out during the buyer’s inspection regardless, so it’s better to be up front and list below market value.

TAKEAWAY

Real estate transactions are rarely simple. A good real estate agents advocates for you and looks out for your best interest. And marketing is crucial to get the right kind of buyer interest that will generate the most return for you. But there are things you can do to increase the value of your home. Just be careful in which projects you do decide to take on if you’re thinking of selling in the near future.

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About the Contributor: Janet Martin Realty is a multi-million-dollar real estate company in Sulphur Springs that works with clients nationwide. In 2021, because of their clients’ trust and repeat business, they sold over $62 million in property throughout North East Texas. However, their greatest success continues to be the strong bonds and relationships they’ve built within the community. It is because of their clients that this team of realtors have ranked as some of the top producers in Hopkins County and are one of the top-tiered independently-owned real estate companies in the local area. The office is located at 1325 South Broadway Street in Sulphur Springs across the street from Starbucks.