Good marketing distinguishes your home from hundreds of others on the market, selling its benefits not just its features. Open houses and print advertising (the most obvious) are only moderately effective. Only 1% of homes are sold at open houses, and just 3% of people purchase their homes after seeing a print ad. Ask me how I would market your home.

2.  Basing Your Asking Price on Needs or Emotion not Market Value.

Many sellers base their asking pricing on what is termed as Subjective Value, which is based on emotion. For example, how much a seller paid for their home, how much they love their home, and overall pride of ownership is considered subjective value.  Objective Value is what ALL appraisers base the true value of a property.

Setting the asking price of a property should always be based on Market Value or Objective Value. Objective Value looks at the condition of the property, it's location, what properties with similar features in the same area are selling for, what other properties in the same area are listed for, and the overall condition of the economy and real estate market.

If your home is not priced competitively, buyers will opt for larger or better homes within your same price range, and thereby increasing your time-to-sell. When your price is later lowered, buyers may be wary because they suspect other reasons the house has remained unsold for so long.

3.  Failing to "Present" the Home.

A property that is not clean or well maintained often suggests hidden defects that increase the total cost of ownership. Sellers should make necessary repairs, and spruce up the house inside and out, keep it clean and neat, or risk chasing away buyers brought in by realtors.

4.  Failing to Take the First Offer Seriously.

Many sellers believe that the first offer received will be one of many to come, and hold out for a higher price, especially if the offer comes in soon after the home is listed. Often the first offer ends up being the best, and many sellers have had to accept far less money than the initial offer and at a much later time in the selling process. The first 2 weeks of the listing term is critical. It is this time that the home will usually get MOST of its action. Do NOT let how quickly the offer came in determine your decision to accept or decline it.