7 COMMON MISTAKES SELLERS MAKE:

When it comes to selling your home, there are 7 common mistakes home sellers are likely to make. I've listed them here, with the hope that you'll be savvy enough to avoid them:

(1) Not knowing why you're selling. Are you selling because you've lost your job and have to move as quickly as possible? Or, are you selling because your family is expanding? If you know why you're selling and how quickly you have to move, it'll help you better target your initial list price.

(2) Not preparing your home for sale. AVOID THE THREE “D”: Dirty, Disorganized, and Dark are not the words you want prospective buyers to say about your house. So, clear out the clutter, get your home hyper-clean (and maintain it that way), and make your home as light and bright as possible. Better yet, paint your interior white, clean your windows and make all rooms “spare” but not bare!

(3) Overpricing your home. .

(4) Hanging around during showings. Unless you're selling by owner, the last thing buyer want is you hovering over their shoulders as they walk through your home. So if you've listed with an agent, make yourself scarce during showings.

(5) Beware of a smelly house. If you have pets or if you smoke or cook with strong ingredients, your house probably smells. If you fall into any of these categories but think your house smells perfectly fine, invite a neighbor, friend or relative over for the sniff test. If your home doesn't pass, you'll need to make some changes before you'll be able to sell your home.

(6) Letting your house go stale. If your home has been on the market for more than four months without an offer, local agents and prospective buyers are probably starting to wonder if there's something really wrong. If there isn't, it could be time to adjust your price or even pull your home off the market for awhile to give it a rest.

(7) Failing to recognize a good offer. Agents like to say that the first offer is the best one you'll receive. While that may not be true, any offer should be treated seriously - even if the initial price is ridiculously low. In that case, don't get insulted. Instead, counter the offer at just below your list price and instruct your agent to tell the buyer's agent that the next offer should be substantially higher.