Tuesday, October 28, 2025 / by Lauren Kerschen
How to Kill Your Shot at a Good Home Sale (And What to Do Instead)
Thinking of listing your home? Here’s a tough truth: the fastest way to sabotage your sale is to make these five mistakes once your house hits the market.
Mistake 1: Treating Showings Like Optional Appointments
You want the perfect buyer, but their timing is “inconvenient.” Declining showings might seem harmless—until you realize every missed appointment is a missed chance at a sale.
If a buyer can’t see your house at their preferred time, they’ll move on. In today’s market, most are scheduling three to five showings a night. Make sure yours isn’t the one they skip.
Mistake 2: Arguing with Feedback
Maybe a buyer says your kitchen feels dated. Your instinct is to defend that $8K granite. But buyers don’t care what you spent—they care what it looks like now.
Feedback isn’t personal; it’s free, real-time market research. Use it to improve your chances, not prove a point.
Mistake 3: Waiting Too Long to Adjust Your Price
Traffic drops from 12 showings the first week to zero in the third. Don’t cross your fingers—course correct! The market is telling you something.
If things go quiet after the initial attention, a strategic price correction early on can get your home sold before it turns stale.
Mistake 4: Letting the House Slide Mid-Listing
The first showings? Flawless—candle burning, every pillow fluffed. Three weeks later? Dishes pile up, toys take over, and it no longer looks move-in ready.
Buyers remember what they see, not what it was. Maintain that show-ready standard until the deal closes.
Mistake 5: Disappearing After Listing
It’s tempting to think, “My agent will handle it.” But only you can answer certain questions—like the story of that new roof or details about upgrades.
Stay plugged in for buyer questions and be responsive with updates. Your involvement can be the difference between a sale and more weeks on the market.
Want to sell fast and for top dollar?
Say yes to showings, listen to feedback, pivot when needed, keep your space immaculate, and stay engaged. When you avoid these mistakes, you’ll turn your “For Sale” sign into a “Sold” one—without leaving success to luck.

