What NOT to do Before Selling Your Home Selling your home is a big deal. You're going to want to make sure that you do everything possible to get the best price possible for your house, right? Well, if you're not careful, there are some things homeowners do before listing their home that can actually hurt them in the long run. In this article, we'll review some of those most common mistakes people make when trying to sell their homes and what you should do instead: Over-improve. If you're like most home sellers, the idea of making your home more appealing to buyers is likely a pretty attractive one. After all, you want to make sure that when people walk through your door, they're going to be impressed with what they see—and that includes structural changes and aesthetic upgrades. However, there's a fine line between adding value and over-improving. If you go overboard on renovations or additions before putting your house on the market, you'll end up losing money in the long run. That's because an overly complicated renovation project can prevent buyers from seeing the true potential of your property—and even cost them thousands of dollars if they decide against purchasing it after taking possession (the latter is particularly common if these renovations are costly). Don't rush to get your house on the market. Putting your home on the market isn't something you should do in a rush. There are many things that need to be done before getting your home ready for sale, and if you don't take time to prepare, you're going to end up with a mess of an investment. Here's what NOT to do when trying to sell your house: Break out the paintbrush. Painting your home can be a good way to make it look new and fresh. Painting hides small imperfections that might be overlooked by some buyers, especially if they're not looking closely. It's an inexpensive way for you to freshen up the look of your home so it's more appealing to potential buyers who are looking for something unique in their next home purchase. Paint everything white or gray. Painting is a quick fix, but it’s also one that can backfire. While painting your walls white or gray can give them a fresh look, it doesn’t always make sense to do so. If you have lots of colorful furniture throughout the house, painting everything white or gray can make your home look too busy and cluttered. Instead of changing the paint color for each room, try choosing one color for all of them instead—it will give the illusion that the rooms are larger than they actually are. It's best to use caution when deciding whether or not to paint before listing your home for sale; if you're unsure about how much time and money should be put into making improvements before putting your property up for sale, talk with an agent who knows what works best in different neighborhoods! Focus on the smallest room in your home. Focusing on the smallest room in your home is a mistake. It can be a good idea to clean and declutter this room, but don't make it your focus. Your buyers will not be interested in the smallest room in your home—they'll be far more interested in the biggest ones. Focus on making those spaces beautiful, functional, and appealing before putting your house on the market! This means that you should also pay attention to kitchens and bathrooms as well as basements and attics (if they're part of your house). Go too gadget-crazy with your smart home features. Smart home technology is a relatively new fad that has taken off in recent years. But not everyone wants or needs it—or even understands how it works! While many people love the idea of being able to control their thermostat remotely and receive alerts when someone opens the door, others feel like this kind of stuff just complicates things. If you're selling your house, one thing you definitely don't want to do is go overboard with smart home features. Not only can they be expensive to install and maintain, but they also might not work as well as advertised (and what if something goes wrong while you're away on vacation?). In addition to potentially costing you time and money, there are security concerns associated with some smart home systems: as we've seen recently with high-profile hacks at companies like Equifax and Facebook (not to mention thousands of others), these devices can be vulnerable to hacking attacks. The last thing you want is for a potential buyer or real estate agent using your toilet paper dispenser during an open house walkthrough—and then having them find out that all their personal information has been stolen by hackers! Make your renovation all about you. The buyers' needs are the most important considerations when selling your home. Focus on how you can achieve their goals, and make sure the renovations reflect that. A buyer wants to be comfortable in their new home, so think about ways you can adapt your property to fit a variety of lifestyles. This could include adding more storage space for families with kids, or making sure everything is accessible for older people. A good rule of thumb is: if it's not necessary for you as an owner, then it likely isn't necessary for a buyer either! Make sure that any upgrades/renovations made serve some function other than just making your life easier (and thus more comfortable). Don't skip the small stuff during the inspection process. Don't let the small stuff get in the way of selling your home. A few dollars here and there may not seem like much, but when you add up all these seemingly insignificant costs, you'll see that they can add up to a lot of money. And if buyers back out of the deal due to concerns about repairs or other issues that could have been avoided with proper preparation? That's even more lost profit for you! To avoid this happening again, take our advice: don’t skip the small stuff during the inspection process You can lose money by fixing things that don't need to be fixed, even though your goal is to raise the value of your home and make more money! You can lose money by fixing things that don't need to be fixed, even though your goal is to raise the value of your home and make more money! Fixing things that don't need to be fixed can actually lower the value of your home by costing you too much in repairs. Imagine if a buyer comes along, sees a list of what needs fixing, and thinks, "I'm not going near this house." They may never see it at all because they've already decided they can't afford it. If they do view the property but decide against buying it, they might tell their friends who are also looking for homes - which means you're losing out on other potential buyers who would love your house!   We hope that this list of things not to do before selling your home has helped you avoid making costly mistakes. If you're still wondering what might be the best course of action for your situation, we'd love to hear from you! Give us a call at 904-343-4461 and we can chat about your needs in person or over email.