PERFECT HOMES MAGAZINE - Issue 13 Issue 13 | Page 107

Selling in Winter: Winter, especially around the holiday season, is typically a very slow time of year for home sales. People are busy with social engagements and the cold, gloomy weather makes it less appealing. Because fewer buyers are likely to be looking, it may take longer to sell your home and you may not get as much money. Trying to Hide Significant Problems: Any problem with the property will be uncovered during the buyer’s inspection, so there’s no point in hiding it. Either fix the problem ahead of time, price the property below market value to account for the problem, or list the property at a normal price but offer the buyer a credit to fix the problem. Realize that if you don’t fix the problem in advance, you may turn away a fair number of buyers who want a turnkey home. Having your home inspected before listing it is a good idea if you want to avoid costly surprises once the home is under contract. Not Accommodating Potential Buyers: If someone wants to view your house, you need to accommodate this person, even if it is inconvenient for you. And yes, you have to clean and declutter the house before every single visit. A buyer won’t know and won’t care if your house was clean last week if it isn’t clean when he or she views it. It’s a lot of work, but stay focused. Even if you do all of these things when selling your home, it’s best to prepare mentally and financially for less-thanideal scenarios. The house may sit on the market for far longer than you expect, especially in a declining market. However, if you avoid the costly mistakes listed here, it will go a long way toward helping you put your best foot forward and achieving that seamless, lucrative sale every homeseller dreams of… Good luck! PERFECT HOMES INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 107