Pasadena real estate mistakes to avoid

Pasadena real estate sellers can sometimes be their own enemy in making a good sale.  ActiveRain, an online community for real estate agents in the US, asked 1,000 agents to rate the top 3 home seller mistakes. Understanding how to avoid these inadvertent deal-breakers could save you time and money when selling Pasadena real estate.

Top home seller mistakes

A majority of real estate agents agreed the top mistake by sellers was pricing their property too high. Market value can be disappointing for some sellers, but resisting the reality of today’s housing prices will only hurt you in the long run. Some sellers also make the mistake of pricing their home high to allow more room for negotiation. This is not the best strategy, because your home receives the most attention when it is first listed. Homes priced high initially, and then subsequently reduced later, often sell for less than if they were appropriately priced from the beginning.

Other mistakes Pasadena real estate sellers make

Showing availability: As with anything in sales, the more conveniently and immediately you can meet buyers’ needs the better. If you require too much notice for showings, there are home buyers who will move on to the next home on their list without seeing yours.

Clutter: Less is more. Too much clutter -- even relatively well-organized items, like collectibles -- can make your home seem smaller to buyers and make it more difficult for them to imagine their own belongings there. For other staging tips, read “Pasadena real estate staging: What’s most important to buyers.”

Resisting price and repairs negotiation: Often,when you’re too resistant to negotiation, the buyer will walk away. By the time the next buyer comes along, you may end up making more concessions -- and have taken on more expenses while your property lingers on the market.  Refusal to make repairs can also destroy a good deal in the making. Listen to the counsel of your Pasadena real estate agent. Their experience should provide a good guage of when repairs are truly necessary to get a sale.

Unpleasant Odors: This is usually addressed during the staging process. Scents make a big impression on people. If a buyer’s first impression is that your home smells like mildew or pets or other odors, they may not give your property more than a cursory look before dismissing it.

If you listen to your Pasadena real estate agent’s advice and avoid common mistakes, you’ll be on the road to a successful sale.