We recently posted a write-up on the best home-buying advice to ignore. Today, we’re looking at the same thing from the other side of the deal. Anytime you buy or sell a home, it seems everyone wants to share their tips, success stories, and what they consider to be amazing advice. But sometimes it’s not exactly the best—or even correct—advice. Let’s take a look at some of the best home selling tips you should just IGNORE.
Never list your home in the winter.
Lots of people assume that home-buying season takes place during the warmer months. While it’s true that the market is a little busier during those times, people buy homes throughout the year. In fact, since we’re blessed with milder winters here in Charleston, the real estate market is pretty busy all year long. Listing your home in the winter could actually give you an edge. A slower market might mean fewer buyers, but it also means fewer sellers, which makes for less competition. Listing your home during a time of low inventory could help you sell your home even faster.
Save money by paying less commission.
It’s typical for a real estate broker to request 6% commission to sell your home. That might sound like a lot to some sellers, but when you take a closer look, it actually works in your favor. Real estate agents do so much more behind the scenes that just slapping your listing up on the MLS. The commission your agent earns goes to pay for their time, their expertise, any marketing materials they provide, etc. What you may not realize is that 6% gets split with the buyer’s agent as well. If you offer a lower commission, there’s a chance that some buyers’ agents might pass over showing your home in favor of a similar one that pays a better commission.
You should absolutely hold at least one open house.
While open houses aren’t a thing of the past, they’re also not guaranteed to help you find a buyer. If you and your agent feel like an open house is a good idea to get some exposure, by all means, go ahead and have one! But don’t expect to find your perfect buyer on open house day. Sure, it’s within the realm of possibility, but it doesn’t happen often at all. Most serious buyers do an online search for exactly what they need and then make private showing appointments.
Price your home high.
Buyers are going to try to negotiate a lower price anyway, so why not price your home at top dollar as a starting point? Not a good idea. First of all, pricing your home too high might put it out of your target buyer’s price range, which means they won’t even see it in their search results. Pricing your home competitively helps attract more buyers and could also help sell your home faster. Who wants to waste their time going back and forth with negotiations anyway?
With so much information so readily available, there’s tons of advice for home sellers out there. Some of it is great; some should be taken with a grain of salt; and some should just be completely ignored. What’s the worst home selling advice you’ve ever heard? Tell us all about it in the comments section!
