Now is a great time to list your home for sale. But beware: not all listing agents are created equally. We've created a list of the biggest mistakes agents make when listing homes:
1. Not pricing your home competitively - It may sound like a good idea to price your home low so you can get multiple offers, but if you price it too low, you'll have a flurry of listing activity, resulting in you leaving the house for hours at a time. Not only that, but you'll have too many offers, many from buyers who can't afford the market price of your home since it was priced too low. It can be overwhelming to sift through many offers just to find the one whose terms best fit your needs. Conversely, pricing it too high can result in the property sitting on the market too long. When this happens, you'll see fewer and fewer showings, even with price reductions, because you'll be chasing the market.
2. Not working with your schedule - Showings should be scheduled around when you're able to leave the house. You might want to ask your agent if they use a technology (like Showingtime) that will automatically decline showings based on your availability. The same thing goes for open houses; the agent should make sure it fits with your schedule and goals. Not all listings need an open house, and if it doesn't work for you, your agent should respect that. This goes back to the house being priced appropriately, too; if it's too low, you will have too much activity that will disrupt your schedule and routine.
3. Leaving your home vulnerable - Many agents store the key to the house in a combination lockbox, which is vulnerable to breaches. It's a good idea to see if the listing agent has the technology to keep your home secure with a modern, high-tech lockbox that will change the access code automatically. And your agent should also have a discussion with you about items you should remove from your home, like prescription medications, firearms and ammo, and high-value possessions.
