Five Home Selling Mistakes to Avoid

Selling a home can be a very emotional endeavor but it all comes down to the fact that it is an important business transaction. The fewer mistakes you make in the process, the better off you are. The following are some of the costly mistakes that home sellers commonly make:

1 - Foregoing Basic Sales Prep Efforts. Start an effort to sell your San Diego home by putting the best possible foot forward. Keep in mind that your ultimate sales price will likely drop if the house isn't sold within the first several weeks of being listed. Sales prep involves seemingly minor details, such as painting where needed and stopping small faucet drips. A professional cleaning is considered the very least that should be done, as far as prepping your home for sale. Removing the clutter from your home is just as important, however.

2 - Foregoing a Home Inspection. Many homeowners are tempted to skip getting a home inspection and go directly to selling mode, but professionals don't recommend it. Without the inspection, potential buyers don't have a reference point, as far as the true condition of the real estate.They could be looking at a house that needs a new roof sooner rather than later or that has serious plumbing problems. The vast majority of home buyers who participated in a survey said that their confidence in a piece of property is boosted when there has been a home inspection. If you get an inspection before putting your home on the market, you are then in a position to fix existing problems in a way that fits your budget and your timing instead of having to negotiate with a buyer to address the issues.

3 - Foregoing Home Staging. Home staging is a lot more than a gimmick. A home that is artfully staged will sell more quickly than one that is not, a fact which has been proven many times over. A few particularly effective touches include: Give your bathroom a genuine spa ambiance; be sure your kitchen counters are clutter-free; give your laundry room special attention so that it has charm and becomes a selling point; take note of any unattractive features and give them a new look or find a clever way to obscure them.

4 - Foregoing Attention to Curb Appeal. Before anyone can see how well your home interior has been beautifully staged, you have to convince them to walk in through the front door. If the yard looks completely neglected -- with dead plants and overgrown grass, for instance – potential buyers are not very likely to want to step inside.

5 - Being Unprepared for Timing of the Sale. Understand such things as closing costs and mortgage payoff before you put your home on the market so that you are prepared for your next move, whether your home sells quickly or slowly.