Mistakes That Decrease The Value Of Your Home

By Sabrina Biehl Published Jul 29, 2014 01:09 am Updated Feb 3, 2015 10:47 am

When you’re getting ready to sell your home, you don’t want to make any mistakes that can decrease the value of your home. However, sometimes sellers unintentionally do.

That’s because what a buyer sees as a mistake is not always the same as what a seller considers a mistake. But when you’re selling your home, you’re hoping for a meeting of the minds.

Let’s uncover some of the mistakes that sellers make that inadvertently potentially decrease the value of their home.

Following trends.This is a tricky one because we all can get caught up in liking designs that are trendy, but if you follow a trend that quickly dies, you’ll find that you won’t be impressing buyers. If this trend is difficult to change, it could decrease the value when you put your home on the market. That’s because buyers will think about how much money they have to put into the home to fix the trendy mistake. So, certainly make your home your style, but if you have plans to sell it in the future, think about how renovations may impact the sale of your home.

Not maintaining appliances. Yes, you most certainly can sell a home “as is” meaning in the condition that the buyers initially see it. But having lots of issues and repairs needed will decrease the home’s value. Cleaning up appliances that will convey with the home is important. If they’re completely messed up, it’s worth replacing them. It should go without saying that not maintaining the entire home is a huge way to decrease its value.

Not keeping it cool. If you want buyers to hurry in and out of your home, overheat them and you’re sure to have them running for the door. Make sure on hot days that the home is aired out so that stale air can escape. Stifling, hot, muggy homes are not fun to tour. Turn the AC on to a comfortable temperature to ensure your potential buyers take their time to really see your home. If you don’t have AC and it’s blazing hot, using ceiling fans and open windows. Also, having some nice cold water or lemonade available will likely encourage buyers to stay a little longer at an open house.

Not sweating the small stuff. Okay, you don’t have to “sweat it”, but you do have to care enough to tend to even the smallest of issues such as fixing a faulty light switch or replacing burned-out bulbs. Buyers go through homes and turn on lights, flick switches, open closets, cabinets, drawers, and even look in medicine cabinets. Keep small things like these in good working order. It’s easy to do and it can help lead to an overall better opinion of your home.

Going wild with color. You may like lively colors but, generally speaking, buyers like paint that is neutral. That’s because it’s like a blank canvas which, upon moving in, they can paint it the way they like it. Extra bright or non-traditional colors can scare them off. So opt for something other than funky purple walls and shag green carpet.

Remember, that avoiding some of these mistakes can help prevent buyers from thinking your home should be worth less than you do.