#1 Most Common Mistake Seller's Make

Do you want to know what I think is the #1 most common mistake I see sellers making? And it is so easy to fix. Do not be home during an open house, a showing, or an inspection. In fact, try to avoid all contact with the buyers if you can. And here is why:  It can get personal.  You are going to want the largest business transaction you will be making to be as non-personal as possible. So, if you don't make it personal, it will be less likely that anyone will take things personally.  I see buyers and sellers that meet, most of the time during the house showing.  And it starts off friendly enough.  They talk about their kids and where they vacation.  But then...you get into the middle of the transaction and the buyers want $5,000 credit to fix the roof. Then the sellers say to themselves "I'm not giving $5k to these people. Their kids are in private school. They can afford to fix it themselves" Or the sellers ask if they can move the closing date back four or five days. Then you hear the buyers say "I'm not moving the date around. The seller's are retired and I bet they are only doing that so they can work it around the many vacations they take."  So, do you see how making "friends" between the buyer and seller is just not a good idea? Oh sure, sometimes a sale can remain friendly and smooth between buyer and seller after they've met and gotten friendly.  But don't count on it.  After all..it's one person's goal to get the highest price for the single most expensive thing they own, and the other person's goal to not spend every dime they have on the most expensive thing they'll ever buy. And besides all the great reasons I already given you, as a seller, you may not want to hear Bob Buyer walk around your house and talk about all the things he doesn't like and is going to change. Some of those things may have been personal touches you worked hard on over the years and are proud of.  So, sellers, to avoid making things personal, get out of your home for a short while when you are expecting potential buyers to be there and you can avoid, what I consider to be, the #1 mistake sellers make when selling their home.