Six most common mistakes made by home sellers..

Putting your house up for sale can be both exciting and anxiety-inducing. You know you love your home – but will others love it? You have a degree of pride in your home – so know it’s worth it. You know what you have spent on your home to make it perfect for you – so you are sure others will recognise that – but will they? Selling our homes is something we only do a very few times in our lives, so it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed by everything you need to do – not to mention finding your own next perfect home.

Here are the top 6 most common mistakes people make when putting their home up for sale – and how to avoid them,

Overpricing

We see this quite often. People are so proud of their homes, and have decided they know what it should sell for, but it;s not the homeowner who can really decide this – it’s the market. Buyers today do their research and can see what similar homes in the area have sold for, so while they may come and see your home, they will be looking for the reason why it’s worth so much more than the average, and if they can’t see that, they won’t offer.

Do your own research – see what homes on your street, in your neighbourhood, are on the market for and have sold for. Talk to your estate agent about how to get the best price for your home – and be realistic.

Neglecting ongoing care and repairs

The number of buyers who want to just move in and live in a home compared to those prepared to take on a ‘project’ is high. Most people don’t want fuss. Most buyers are aiming at the top end of their budget, so don’t want to risk having to find more money for repairs. If you haven’t kept up on basic maintenance and repairs, they will wonder what else you haven’t kept on top of. Before you put your house on the market, prepare it for sale – examine each room and assess what little jobs, or big, really need doing – and do them. This can be everything from touching up chipped paintwork to resealing baths to making sure every bulb in a light fitting works to fixing that dripping tap you have learned to ignore. 

Poor preparation for viewings

A clutter-free, tidy, fragrant home helps viewers see the bones of the house and how they might live in it. Leaving clothes and clutter about, not emptying bins, not clearing kitchen worktops, etc, suggests a degree of uncaring and while it might sound strange, a lot of people can’t see past clutter and find it very off putting.

Equally, don’t over-prepare. Don’t light a scented candle in every room – people will wonder if you’re trying to hide something! Style your rooms, but don’t overdress – there’s no need for a bottle of champagne and two glasses in the living room, or freshly baked cakes and coffee in the kitchen!

Being inflexible with viewings

People work varying hours and need to be able to view homes when it suits them. Work with your estate agent to agree on days when you can be out of the home and a series of viewings lined up. If someone wants to come for a second viewing, do everything you can to accommodate them.

Forgetting kerb appeal

Many potential buyers will do a drive-by before they arrange a viewing, so be sure your home has kerb appeal. Tidy the space in front of your house – clip back foliage, sweep the path, give the front door a wash if necessary. Put out a couple of pots with brightly coloured flowers, or hand a floral wreath on the door – all this gives the right impression of pride in your home, making it somewhere people want to see more of.

Choosing the wrong estate agent:

Ask about recent successes, their experience in your specific location, marketing, video, photography and viewings – and what they value your home at and can realistically expect to sell it for.

Don’t immediately leap to the one that suggests the highest value – you may end up having to reduce it to compete. 

A great estate agent will know your area, will have plenty of examples of successes in selling homes in your area, will know what buyers are looking for and will be able to advise on how you can best present your home for sale, from the initial photography to the viewings. They should be able to talk you through a clear marketing strategy and reassure you about all aspects of the selling process, from social media to the conveyancing process.

Eddie – Friday 4th July 2025. (Images used from our marketing team).