The second no-no is becoming too friendly with buyers. You’d be surprised to learn how many homeowners try to get a little too friendly with potential buyers in order to make the sale. But this tactic almost always backfires. While it’s important to be professional, and friendly to a certain extent, don’t allow the personal nature of someone being in your home allow you to get into too many long, unnecessary discussions, especially of a personal nature, because personality conflicts often cloud judgments. You could also end up revealing too much that doesn’t need to be said, shutting down a potential deal. Remember, this could be their new home. If you start jabbering on about your precious longtime family home being “too big for a couple just starting out” or how “things in the neighborhood have been changing for the worse,” etc., you might end up squashing the buyer’s interest and a potential sale.
MISTAKE #9. UNDERESTIMATING CLOSING COSTS
Don’t underestimate all the closing costs involved. Many homeowners nearing retirement are guilty of this, simply because it’s been so long since they last sold a home. Far too often, sellers consider only the asking price of their home without factoring in and calculating all the other costs associated with the sale, such as: • Real estate agent commission or fees • Marketing and advertising costs • Attorney costs and closing agent fees • Excise/gains tax (if applicable) • Prorated costs for such items as property taxes, homeowners association (HOA) costs, and utilities • Any other fees like appraisals, inspections, buyer’s closing costs, etc... 56
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