{"id":26770,"date":"2025-01-21T06:09:07","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T14:09:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=26770"},"modified":"2025-12-01T04:01:59","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T12:01:59","slug":"first-time-home-seller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/first-time-home-seller\/","title":{"rendered":"First-Time Home Sellers: Costs, Potential Surprises, and Tips to Prepare for the Sale"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a first-time seller, you\u2019re likely familiar with the home sale process<\/a> from when you were on the buyer\u2019s side of the table. Even so, selling a house<\/a> for the first time comes with unique challenges and potential pitfalls.<\/p>\n

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6 Mistakes first-time sellers should avoid<\/h2>\n

The best thing first-time home sellers can do is to anticipate the common hiccups and come prepared. Our expert-backed primer, with input from top-selling Phoenix-based agent Dave Zajdzinski<\/a>, will brief you on common, unexpected situations first-time sellers encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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1. Assuming your house is in great shape<\/h3>\n

You might think your home is in adequate condition for sale, especially when selling a house as is<\/a>.\u00a0After all, you\u2019ve been living there comfortably for years. It might surprise you to find out that buyers may view your home as dated or in need of some TLC.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour home should read like a book \u2014 like a story. It should have one complete narrative,\u201d Zajdzinski says. \u201cI have sellers thinking they\u2019ll redo the kitchen<\/a> when they have a dirt backyard. But you want the story to be complete. If you have everything done but one bathroom, do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds that a lot of sellers \u201coverestimate the things they\u2019ve done and underestimate the things that aren\u2019t done,\u201d whereas buyers will notice the state of the house right away with fresh eyes. \u201cSo what I would tell people is to finish whatever is lacking\u201d before listing the home, he says.<\/p>\n

2. Overpricing and not preparing for a low appraisal<\/h3>\n

If your buyer is financing the home, their lender will require an appraisal to ensure the property is really worth the amount on the mortgage. If the appraiser determines the value is lower than the loan amount, the buyer will have to find a way to pay the difference \u2014 or back out of the transaction.<\/p>\n

Zajdzinski says the key is to anticipate this issue before it happens and make a plan: \u201cIf it doesn\u2019t appraise, are you willing to just let the buyer go and we put it back to market? Do you want to come down? What are your expectations, and what are your thoughts prior to it happening?\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in a hot market where bidding wars are common, you may want to negotiate an appraisal waiver<\/a> or an appraisal gap guarantee with your buyer. An appraisal waiver is an option for cash buyers to waive the appraisal entirely. An appraisal gap guarantee<\/a>, on the other hand, is an agreement the buyer will make up the difference between the purchase price and the appraisal.<\/p>\n

And if you have a unique property, Zajdzinski advises doing a pre-appraisal before determining a listing price<\/a>. \u201cLet\u2019s do an appraisal upfront, and let\u2019s see where that appraisal comes in just to set the expectation,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s about having a good game plan upfront, so you\u2019re not caught off guard.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Not preparing for last-minute showings<\/h3>\n

It can be stressful when your home is on the market, you\u2019re still living in it, and buyers want to schedule last-minute showings that disrupt your daily life. Zajdzinski says flexibility is key to a quick and successful sale.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe advise any first-time seller to keep your house show-ready all the time and just know that this is an inconvenience, but it\u2019s a small window [of time] to get through,\u201d he says. \u201cWe say be flexible, don\u2019t let it catch you off guard. Just know that you\u2019re going to get last-minute requests, and you\u2019re going to have people that need to show up \u2014 just be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

As annoying as last-minute showings may be, remember that there\u2019s a lot on the line with your home sale. \u201cThis is your one chance to get it right,\u201d Zajdzinski reminds. \u201cDon\u2019t be the reason you\u2019re not getting everything because you\u2019re the constraint to the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Failing to factor in escrow delays<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re selling a home for the first time and you enter into escrow with a buyer<\/a>, you might be tempted to exhale. You did it, right? Not necessarily. Home sales can fall through during escrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had homes flood the day of close. I\u2019ve had people die on the day of close. Just know that this isn\u2019t a done deal until you have the check in your hand and the county has recorded the deed,\u201d Zajdzinski says. \u201cWe can\u2019t control all stages of it and something could happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sellers can anticipate potential pitfalls and increase their chances of closing by strategically choosing an offer<\/a> that aligns with their goal to sell fast or for a top price.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe consider how we can mitigate this risk by going with an offer that is going to help us. It\u2019s not always about the most amount of money,\u201d Zajdzinski shares. \u201cWe\u2019ll ask our client, \u2018For $5,000 more, is it worth taking this offer versus this one over here that\u2019s going to potentially void?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Letting emotions take over<\/h3>\n

You might be selling the home where you brought your babies home from the hospital or hosted Thanksgiving dinner for loved ones every year. With so many memories made in your home, it\u2019s natural to feel emotional when the reality of selling sinks in.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tell everybody it\u2019s an emotional process. It\u2019s something we\u2019re very attached to \u2014 it\u2019s our home,\u201d Zajdzinski says. \u201cBe aware of those emotions and be ready for them, and don\u2019t let them take over at the wrong times. Get out ahead of everything: Things are less emotional when you\u2019re out ahead of it, and it doesn\u2019t take you off guard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zajdzinski has observed that the home inspection often triggers sellers\u2019 emotions. When the inspection report reveals issues with the home, buyers try to negotiate the price down, which can offend sellers. One of the ways you can avoid this pitfall is to hire a home inspector<\/a> for a pre-listing inspection<\/a> early on in the process. That way, you can tackle or at least be aware of needed repairs before a buyer is involved.<\/p>\n

6. Waiting to plan for the move until the ink is dry<\/h3>\n

Given all the lead-up to selling a home, you might think you have plenty of time to vacate the house<\/a> until the time finally comes, and you realize how big of a task moving is.<\/p>\n

Zajdzinski says he sees the scenario time and time again. \u201cPeople say, \u2018I just wasn\u2019t ready to be out. I thought we would be and we weren\u2019t.\u2019 They think they have enough time, but they underestimate how long it takes to pack and move.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zajdzinski has moved many times over the years and has learned to leave a cushion \u2014 both as a practical matter and for peace of mind. \u201cMy wife and I like to take a little vacation, to be done early, get out, and not be scrambling,\u201d he says. \u201cWe leave and let it happen to reduce the stress.\u201d<\/p>\n

So he offers this experience-tested tip for first-time home sellers: \u201cGive yourself more time to move than you think you should plan on.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a first-time home seller, you may encounter several surprises when selling your house. Here\u2019s how to prepare for them and know what to do next.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":150,"featured_media":52899,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[323,319],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-quick-tips","category-selling-advice"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFirst-Time Home Sellers: Prepare for the Sale and the Surprises<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As a first-time home seller, you may encounter several surprises when selling your house. 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