Selling your home can be a long process that many sellers don’t entirely prepare for. Unfortunately, if you’re not careful, there are many mistakes that can sabotage your selling efforts. For homeowners who want a smooth and efficient sale, spotting these potential pitfalls in advance is key. Here are some of the most common selling mistakes that can slow your St. Louis sale:

Not Creating a Plan

I don’t just mean a plan for the actual sale. Selling your home often requires some major adjustments in other areas of your life as well. You’ll need time to get the house ready and accommodate open houses and showings. You’ll need to pack up your entire home for your move. Some sellers will need to look at temporary housing if they haven’t purchased a home in time for the sale. Selling a home goes beyond hiring an agent and setting a list price. Sellers should take the time to evaluate how a sale will impact their lives in general to ensure they list at a time that makes sense for them.

Getting Emotionally Involved

A home is an emotional possession for many people. While selling and moving can be emotional processes, you don’t want that to impact the business transaction that is the sale. When you think of it as selling your home, it can make the process challenging for some sellers. Instead, getting in a business mindset and detaching a bit from those personal connections, at least when it comes to the actual selling process, can really make for a smoother sale. To get a home ready for prospective buyers, you may need to depersonalize. You need to let your home become their home. You don’t want prospective buyers to feel like they’re in someone else's space when they come to a showing. You want them to be able to envision it as their own.

Not Preparing for Negotiations

If you go into selling your home expecting to get your asking price right away, you might be in for a challenge. Depending on your home, neighborhood, and the current state of the market, there may be more back and forth involved that some sellers anticipate. Especially if you’re selling with a partner, it’s important to get clear on your goals. Is there an amount you could accept that is below your list price? How quickly do you need to sell? When you’re prepared for negotiations, they’re often easier to participate in.

Not Giving Your Property Some TLC

Some sellers are in a rush to get their home on the market. Unfortunately, listing your home before it’s ready can backfire on your timeline. If your home is in need of some maintenance, repairs, cleaning, or organization, don’t overlook it. Prospective buyers certainly will not. They’ll be evaluating and investigating and they walk through, and simple things like dirty floors and broken fixtures can be a quick turn off. While you don’t need to do a massive renovation, get your property looking freshened up before you list.

Underestimating the Power of Listing Photos

Once your home is prepped, now you’re ready to take listing photos. With so many buyers shopping online today, this is not a place to skimp. If photos aren’t your thing, it might be worth bringing in a professional. Some sellers may be convinced that buyers will fall in love with their property upon walking through and feeling its charm, but unfortunately, many buyers will skip over houses with underwhelming photos. You don’t necessarily need to make a huge investment here, but do take the time to make sure your photos really represent the space in its best light.

For a smooth sale, St. Louis sellers should be cautious to avoid some common mistakes. If they take the time to properly prepare and organize and know what to expect throughout the process, they’ll set themselves up for great sale. Do you have any other mistakes sellers should have on their radar? Share them with us.