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Mobile Area Association of REALTORS®

Top Things That Can Go Wrong in a Real Estate Sale

Top Things That Can Go Wrong in a Real Estate Sale

 

Real estate involves selling, managing, leasing, and buying properties. A real estate agent’s work is to advise their client on selling, buying, or renting a property. When it comes to home sellers, it’s not always easy to sell your home because the process involves a little bit too much invasion of one’s privacy. In a real estate sale, many things may go wrong. It is important to be aware of any potential issues so that you can help avoid them as best as possible.

 

Getting emotional

 

Home sellers can have a hard time keeping their emotions in check when selling their home, especially first-time sellers. It is not exactly easy to have strangers in your house who criticize a place you’ve lived and made memories in. They can also feel pressure to meet a deadline, especially when they are so attached to their home.

 

Problems with documentation

 

When selling a home, a lot of paperwork is involved. Some agents start marketing a property before making sure there are no problems with paperwork. Home sellers should have all the right documents needed during the selling process before listing their property. Failure to do this, errors could come up when it’s too late, and some buyers may change their minds.

 

The appraisal is too low

 

If the appraisal is lower than the asking, it can halt the sale. When the appraisal is too low, it is a deal-breaker for both the home seller, the buyer, and the real estate agent.

 

Change of heart

 

Home sellers may have a sudden change of heart, maybe because they cannot keep their emotions in check or can’t find a suitable home replacement. Having a change of heart, especially when you have hired a real estate agent, can be very costly because some agents may still want their commission failure to which they can sue you.

 

Something comes up in the inspection

 

Before a buyer makes up their mind purchasing a particular property, most of them do an inspection. During the home inspection, problems like plumbing issues may be discovered, leading to the buyer backing out of the deal. To a home seller, doing repairs may be very costly, mainly because most buyers will want these repairs to be done before closing the deal.

 

Financial problems

 

The seller may lack the money to do repairs, if any, or to clear debt like a mortgage. A buyer will not wait around if the seller has issues like these, so closing the deal will be more difficult.

 

Repairs not well done

 

During the selling process, the seller is busy with moving, and sometimes he/she won’t be there when repairs are being done. Hiring a trusted professional for the job will be significantly helpful because problems will not come up during the home inspection.

 

The house has mold

 

Mold can cause significant damage to the sale of a home. A home seller should deal with mold before listing their property because mold scares buyers away. Real estate agents help home sellers set a fair price and clear them any liability if the mold returns.

 

Home sellers want to take house fixtures with them

 

House fixtures like curtain rods, refrigerators, and chandeliers are sometimes attached to the property. When a house fixture is attached to the property, it becomes part of the property, and so the home seller can’t take it with them. At times a home seller may want to take a house fixture with them, and the buyer can call off the deal.

 

Sellers inflexibility

 

Sellers sometimes have a higher than realistic expectation when it comes to the price of their property. A seller should seek counsel from a professional who will help him/her determine the property’s cost. Real estate agents assume the seller will change their mind when they see how much buyers have offered, but this is not always the case.

 

Selling a property is a process that can take up both the home seller and the real estate agent’s time. To avoid going wrong during the sale, the two parties should take all the necessary steps to sell a property. Selling your home is the primary goal, but when the house sits on the market for a more extended period than you expect, it’s best to rent it out before getting a permanent buyer.

 

Written by Abby Drexler

Public Relations Specialist for North American Van Lines