When it comes to home selling, it is important to know what things to disclose and what things are better left unsaid. It is not that you should trick a potential buyer by opting to leave the fact that your home has lead or is situated in a flood zone, but it is about being very careful with things you disclose.
Bring your "less is more" attitude going when facing prospective buyers and avoid saying these 6 things identified by agents according to Realtor:
'Our house is in perfect condition'
While you may find your home perfect in your eyes, it may not be the same case for prospective buyers, and Cara Ameer of Realtor explains why.
"The home inspection may reveal otherwise, and, as a seller, you don't want to wind up putting your foot in your mouth," she explains. Bottom line: "There simply is no such thing as 'perfect condition.' Every house, whether it is brand new or a resale, has something that needs to be fixed, adjusted, replaced, or improved upon."
'It's been on the market for X...'
A big no-no according to Realtor's Pam Santoro is discussing with prospective buyers the length of time that your home has been sitting on the market. There is no need to do that when the buyer can find that information on the listing and the home's information sheet. So don't bring the matter up - especially when the home hasn't moved in eons.
'We've never had a problem with...'
When you are desperate to sell your home, telling a few little white lies can be tempting. But Realtors are warning you...
"You're setting yourself up for potential liability," explains Ameer. "You may not even be aware of the problem at first, but it could translate into an embarrassing moment upon inspection."
'We always wanted to fix/renovate that, but...'
Nobody cares about good intentions.
"When sellers point out things they might change, this only alerts the buyer of more upcoming costs for them," says Maryjo Shockley.
'We spent a ton of money on X, Y, and Z'
No matter how much you loved the hardwood flooring your installed all throughout the first floor, the prospective buyer may not be willing to shell out for it or may not even like your choice of material.
"The buyer doesn't care whether you spent $10,000 or $100,000 on your kitchen," says Ameer. "They are only going to offer what they feel the home is worth in relation to area comparable sales."
'I'm not taking less than X amount for my home'
Every seller wants top dollar for their property, but that should also go with some reality check.
"If you send a message that you are inflexible or not open to negotiating, it may not invite buyers to even try to work out acceptable price and terms as they will feel defeated from the start," says Ameer. "Word may spread that you have this sentiment as a seller, and people may start to avoid the house."
