No-Nos to Avoid During Your Home Sale: Part 1

When you sell your house, there are a few big no-nos you need to avoid that could end up sinking your sale. Today we're uncovering the first four.

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When you sell your house, there are a number of no-nos that you need to avoid. Today, we'll discuss the first four.

1. Don't take your own photos. You want to use a professional real estate photographer who has the right equipment and is specifically trained on how to use lighting and place furniture in a way to get the most out of the photos to sell your house. Remember, the Internet is the first place buyers will see your home, so you want that photography to be as good as it can get.

2. Don't try to sell your house by yourself. According to the National Association of Realtors, 87% of people purchased their home through an agent or broker and that number has risen consistently since 2001 when it was just 69%. Homes sold by owners sold for an average of $210,000 compared to the average of $249,000 for homes sold by people working with an agent. They also sell weeks faster.

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Sellers who work with an agent make more money and sell faster.

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3. Don't argue with your agent about your home's price. It's important for an agent to explain the value of your home in today's market to you. One of the biggest mistakes I see is people hiring someone who's brand new in real estate who isn't very plugged into the market. If you hire someone to sell your biggest asset, they should have a great track record. You want to ask them how many homes they sell per year, what their average list-to-sales price ratio is, what their marketing strategy is, and what they'll do if your house doesn't sell.

4. Don't trust Zillow as the word of God. Zillow's Zestimates can be off by as much as 61% depending on the house and its location, according to an article in the LA Times. A recent study found that the average Zestimate is off by about $14,000. Zillow can't discern whether a home smells like pet urine or has a finished basement, among many other things. Zillow also can't tell you about absorption rates or give you a market analysis. Only a real estate expert advisor can do that for you.

Stay tuned for the rest of our tips on things to avoid when selling your house. In the meantime, if you have any questions or you're thinking about buying or selling a home in the Kansas City area, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be glad to help!