Fairfax, VA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/17/2012 -- Selling your home can be a highly emotional process. Perhaps even before the ink dries on your VA home listing, you may start to feel a lump in your throat. If deciding to sell your home is a stirring task for you, don’t feel like you are alone. It is for many people, because our homes are filled with not just our personal belongings, but our cherished memories, too. But, it’s better to feel emotional about selling your home and moving on than it is to weep over not being able to sell it at all. So here are the top five mistakes to avoid when selling your home.
(1) Pricing your home incorrectly. This is the most common mistake that is made by people when selling a home. It is of crucial importance to price your home based on not what you feel it is worth (and your emotional attachment to it) but the actual value of the home based on comparable sales, market movement, the condition of the house, its location, and its market value. This is an excellent reason to work with a professional Realtor from Debbie Dogrul Associates. It is an important part of your Realtor’s job to stay up-to-date on all of this information, and to help you decide on an appropriate price. A home that is priced correctly will attract the right buyers and sell quickly.
(2) Putting your home on the market before it is ready. There are a lot of things to think about before placing your home on the market. And with the busy lives that we all lead, it can be easy to put off some of those changes around the house, such as new carpet in the living room and a fresh coat of paint in the hallway. However, it really does pay off to complete these improvements before listing your home. Remember that when you sell your home, presentation is everything. So your pre-sales improvements and cosmetic fix-ups should be done before you list your home.
(3) Investing in costly changes. As we discussed in #2, it is important to present your home as attractively as you possibly can. But make sure that any and all changes that you make are ones that you can recoup. Do not invest in an expensive remodel that causes your home to not fit in with the community. Carefully consider changes such as additions before completing them, because your home should still complement your Fairfax neighborhood. If your home sticks out and seems out-of-place, its value will be damaged.
(4) Trying to cover up problems. As in all things, honesty is the best policy. If you choose not to fix a problem such as a leaky roof or a moldy basement before selling your home, be upfront about it. Otherwise, you may end up losing a lot of money in the long run. If the problem is discovered within the first 30 days after settlement, you could be sued for not disclosing a latent defect.
(5) Hiring a buddy as your Realtor. It is easy to hire the first Realtor who comes along, or a friend. But a prior relationship is not the first factor you should consider when choosing a Realtor in VA. You need to choose someone who has a proven track record of success, and who is highly experienced with the real estate market in your area. Debbie Dogrul and Associates has been the #1 real estate team in Northern VA since 2005, which makes them the leading experts in the area. Visit TeamDDA.com today for more information.