We all hear about what you need to do when selling your house, but what about things you should definitely not do?

Here are five of the ‘don’t dos’ when selling your house:

Don’t get emotional

It is a big thing letting go emotionally; you’ve worked hard and spent money to get your home exactly the way you want it, and you may well have lived in the house for several years. You absolutely love it and you’ve loved living in it, but you’re selling for a reason so you need to detach the emotions and look at the property from a potential buyer’s point of view.

Your unique style of decorating may not be to everyone’s taste so you may need to change it to something more neutral, and don’t turn down a brilliant offer just because the people are planning on pulling down the shed your grandfather helped you build.

Don’t spend too much on renovations

While you want to make your property look good, you need to weigh up how much you’re spending with how much it will increase the value of the property. For instance, if putting in a new bathroom will cost you $15,000, but it will only realistically increase the property price by $10,000, it may be worth looking at other, cheaper options to improve the room, such as spraying the tiles or changing the taps.

Don’t use bad photographs

They say a picture tells a thousand words, and in this digital age, good quality photographs taken by a professional photographer can make all the difference between getting people through the door to look at your property. Out of focus, poorly lit and crooked pictures will most likely do the exact opposite.

Don’t overprice the property

If your property is priced too high, it won’t sell so be realistic with your price expectations. Look at how much similar properties in your area are going for and talk to real estate specialists to get a feel for the market. While everyone hopes their property is worth more, it boils down to what the market is prepared to pay at that time. If your type of property is in high demand, you may be able to ask more, but if your property isn’t in good condition and the market is slow, you may need to lower your expectations.

Don’t put your life on show

Even though you want to make your property as welcoming and as homely as possible, you also want people to imagine the place as their own home. Remove the family pictures and mementos and make sure the place is clear of toys and clutter.

Want to find out ways to make your property look good? Simply text the word ‘PROFIT’ to 0416 906 799 and we will send you a link to our FREE booklet, 101 ways to maintain and prepare your home for profit.

It’s packed full of tips and ideas to help you prepare your property for sale, and together with our experienced team, we can help you get the best price for your property.

If you’re thinking of selling your property, or even just want an appraisal, come and talk to us. We are one of Newcastle’s longest established real estate offices and our innovative team is constantly achieving great results for our clients.

Drop into the Cardiff office or give us a call on 02 4954 8833. Or send us an email to: mail@apnewcastle.com.au – we’d love to hear from you.

And don’t forget to check out our Facebook page for handy tips on selling your property or what to look for when buying a property.