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7 common mistakes when selling your home
An unrealistic asking price, empty rooms and ignoring paperwork can all impact a sale
Sam covers personal finance topics, from the best savings rates to the reasons mortgage lenders say no. He enjoys crunching the numbers to help consumers get ahead.
You may have found what looks like your forever home online, but when you turn up for the viewing, it's cold and smells of wet dog.
First impressions matter, and in a market where buyers have more choice, small missteps can quickly put them off.
With mortgage rates still relatively high, it remains a difficult market for sellers. Avoiding simple mistakes could make the difference between securing a sale and losing a buyer.
We've spoken to estate agents across to uncover the common mistakes sellers make, so you can avoid them.
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1. Waiting too long to instruct a solicitor
This was the most common mistake estate agents flagged.
Johanna Cole, director of sales at Hamptons in Marlborough, explains why this is important: 'We spend a great deal of time encouraging sellers to instruct a solicitor from the outset so that, by the time a sale is agreed, the due‑diligence work is already complete and contracts can be issued promptly – reducing the time it takes to complete and get the sale across the line.'
Some sellers are taking our advice and instructing their solicitor weeks or even months before going to the market, which is paying dividends further down the line.
- Find out more: how to sell a house?
2. Failing to present your home properly
Clutter, cold rooms and strong smells can all create a poor first impression and make it harder for buyers to picture themselves living there.
It's important to make your property feel welcoming. If possible, don't clear furniture from the property before viewings: Christopher Burton, head of Wimbledon sales at Knight Frank, told us that 'it removes the metaphorical warmth in a home and often makes the rooms look smaller'.
A cold home also doesn't create the right impression. If you have viewings, make sure the property is at a comfortable temperature. Tony Filice from estate agent Kelvin Francis in Cardiff told us that buyers will quickly leave a cold home.
In addition, make sure your home is not only neat and tidy but also smells pleasant. Filice advises sellers to avoid cooking strong-smelling food, such as a fish supper or a full English breakfast, on the morning of a viewing.
It's also worth remembering that not all viewers are pet lovers. In particular, the smell of dogs can be noticeable and may put some buyers off.
3. Setting an unrealistic asking price
Pricing your property correctly is incredibly important in a buyer's market.
By asking more, you regularly get less.
This is because agents may have to reduce the price in the future, which risks 'alienating potential buyers because they are wondering why it’s been on the market for such a long time.'
Hudson says there is plenty of evidence that once you reduce the price of a property, your chance of selling goes down with it. Ultimately, he believes a property achieves its best price in the first few weeks of marketing.
The problems caused by an unrealistic asking price are important to consider when choosing an estate agent. Don't be won over by the highest valuation; a fast and smooth sale is more likely with an asking price in line with the local market.
- Find out more: how to find the best estate agent
4. Not having paperwork ready
Selling a home is an admin-heavy process. Cole told us it's important to be prepared and have documentation ready, such as 'paperwork for extensions or works carried out, septic tank servicing, building completion certificates or listed building consents'.
The modern conveyancing landscape is much stricter, meaning if your planning documents or building regulations aren’t signed off, or there are any discrepancies on the title, they will become a problem down the line, which often jeopardises the sale.
Both Cole and Rodbourne advise sellers who haven't moved for a long time, possibly several decades, to be prepared for the significant amount of documentation required and a 'stricter' conveyancing landscape.
- Find out more: the cost of selling your home
5. Ignoring problems raised in surveys
Neal Wood, director of sales at Hamptons in Bath, advises sellers not to bury their heads in the sand if a survey uncovers an issue with their property.
Wood explains: 'Sellers who choose not to address these issues often face repeated fall‑throughs, prolonged time on the market and, ultimately, renegotiations at a lower price. Being proactive and realistic about survey feedback can save considerable time, stress and money.'
- Find out more: house surveys
6. Overlooking seasonal trends
Some sellers also make the mistake of not thinking about timing.
The time of year you put your home on the market can affect how quickly you find a buyer.
The property portal Rightmove tracks the average time it takes for a seller to find a buyer. This figure consistently rises during the winter months and then falls as we move into the summer.
Some sellers may not have the luxury of choosing when to put their home on the market, but if you do, make sure you consider the seasonal patterns of the property market.
Not all months are the same. It's more important to have a family house ready for viewings in the spring, with as much cleared as possible, rather than waiting until the summer and then missing the spring market.
- Find out more: what's happening to house prices
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7. Turning down early offers too quickly
It's natural not to accept the first offer straight away and to wait in case a better one comes along.
The best offers typically arrive during the initial surge of interest, when the property is fresh to market and competition is at its highest.
Beauchamp says that waiting can lead to a drop in interest. This can increase stress for sellers, as it may take longer to find a buyer and could result in lower offers.
