The second mistake to avoid is “not considering your home’s condition”. When selling our homes it is not always easy to see through the eyes of the buyer and hopefully new owner. What we see and maybe smell everyday becomes normal for us, but not the buyers. I often tell sellers ” if I can smell it I can not sell it”, so if you have any pet or smoking or other smells in your home, best to get rid of them before attempting to sell. Some buyers are so turned off by smells that are offensive to them that they would not consider purchasing the home even though it may be perfect in other ways.

The two most common needs are to declutter and depersonalize, this is where a stager can be very useful. With the Chicago Homes for Sale market as it is today I do not take on any new listings unless the owners will allow a stagger to go through the property and make suggestions. Today’s buyers usually have a reaction and maybe a decision about a home in the first 15-30 seconds, so your home must win the beauty contest and of course the pricing contest. Read more about this at www.nbcchicago.com/around_town/real_estate/5-Real-Estate-Mistakes-You-Dont-Want-to-Make.html

This is based on an article and an NBC News report as well as on my own experience. The NBC article by Marion Brooks can be found at www.nbcchicago.com/around_town/real_estate/5-Real-Estate-Mistakes-You-Dont-Want-to-Make.html .