84% of recent first time sellers have regrets

HERE’S HOW TO AVOID THEIR MISTAKES.

Wise words from Jen but how about if you can learn from the lessons of others and avoid that sinking “Oh no” feeling altogether?

The selling process can be overwhelming to navigate especially as we are often flooded with conflicting or outdated advice from your neighbor’s cousin’s pet ferret who sold a home once in 1973. This can leave even more experienced sellers feeling stressed and making decisions that come back to haunt them later.

Zillow recently reported that a staggering 84% of first-time sellers over the past two years think they’d have made more money if they’d made different choices. We’ve compiled a list of their Top 4 regrets to help you avoid falling into the same traps.

1. PRICING, PRICING, PRICING!

I can’t stress this one enough. There is a reason why not getting the price right is the #1 reported regret with 39% of sellers wishing they had set it differently.

It’s a tricky one… underprice and not only are you missing out on ROI but you risk becoming the “It must be haunted” house on Zillow. You know the one? It looks great but the price tag is noticeably low, prompting immediate distrust and sparking the “what’s wrong with it though??” conversations. No one wants potential buyers speculating about what nasty surprises they are going to find in the basement after they’ve moved in 👻 🚩

Price too high though and you may slow down the sale and have your home linger on the market. “But I’m not in a rush to sell, I can hang on a while for the right price.” I hear you cry. Great but do you know what happens when prospective buyers see a house has been lingering for too long on the market? See above ☝️👻 🚩

Avoid these pitfalls by working with a realtor who understands your market, to create a winning price strategy that works to your goals.

2. IGNORING ONLINE CURB APPEAL

Like it or not… today’s market is a digital one and 9 out of 10 recent sellers say they regret not making the most of online channels, while 2 in 5 think better photos could have given them a price boost.

Recent NARS data suggests that over 90% of prospective buyers use digital channels to search for their dream home and more than 50% buy a home they found online so neglecting this aspect of marketing your home could be extremely costly.

Check that your realtor is tech savvy & experienced in innovative digital marketing so you can negotiate a listing package which includes high quality images and videography and an engaging, immersive marketing strategy.

3. IT’S ALL IN THE TIMING

Timing is so key in real estate and 25% of recent sellers wish they had timed things differently.

So when is the best time to list?

I’m going to let you in on a secret… there is no such thing as “the perfect time.” However, a realtor with a good understanding of your local market will be able to advise you according to your personal circumstances.

As a general rule of thumb though, as the weather warms up, so does the housing market so springtime is traditionally considered the best season for sales with April being the hottest month of all.

MY TOP TIP: Homes listed on a Thursday, as people are planning their weekend tour itineraries, get faster than average sales and are more likely to go for above asking price!

4. IF IT AINT BROKE DON’T FIX IT… BUT IF IT IS THEN YOU REALLY SHOULD…

Over 25% of sellers polled think they could have gotten a higher sale price if they had completed more home improvements and repairs.

It’s important to be strategic though as diving headfirst into renovations without calculating the ROI opportunities can actually lose you money.

Do you research and make sure you are investing in the projects that will make the most impact.

OVER TO YOU:

So there you have it: the top 4 regrets of recent first-time sellers polled by Zillow. Do they resonate? Tell us about your own experiences in the comments.