I recently came across a great blog by Coral Gundlach of Virgina based Fall Properties.

According to Ms. Gundlach, the residential real estate market all over Northern Virginia is booming. Houses priced right and in good condition are selling fast. Houses that are not priced right and not marketed properly will not enjoy this success.

According to Ms. Gundlach, here are some of the top mistakes you (Your Realtor) can make when selling your house;

Too few, or lousy pictures in the MLS
Good pictures are essential, and lots of them. You can’t take an unprofessional picture with bad light and expect people to want to go see your house/listing. Include details, please: Room dimensions, directions, community information, condo/HOA amenities and inclusions, distances from public transportation, schools, details details details! If there’s a field in the MLS, it needs to be filled out. If you see houses not selling in this hot market now (and yes, there are many in every market that don’t get sold), if it doesn’t have an incurable defect, it’s because they are not being presented properly on-line. Ask your agent to show you the links to your listing and make sure they are not slacking.

Difficult showing instructions
Make it easy for your prospective buyers and their agents. Don’t plan on cooking big meals a lot at night and cozying up for a relaxing evening at home. Live lean, eat out, visit your friends a lot. If you have pets, make it easy for them to leave the house when someone wants to see it, and keep it clean and free of dog/cat odors. Barking dogs in cages, pee pads and stinky litter-boxes really distract a buyer from seeing your home’s best features.

Price it too high
Now in this market with such high demand and low supply, any seller is bound to want to push the limits with asking price. That is perfectly fine, but keep in mind that appraisers are being more conservative than ever, and often come in and shatter transactions with their opinion of value. If you price your house way off the charts high, and get no showings or a bunch of low-ball offers, listen to what the market is telling you. It speaks the truth.

Not staging or recognizing the power of decorating
This is more important than ever, and does not have to break the bank. Clear out your clutter. Donate to Goodwill, call one of the many junk removal places, borrow a friend’s garage, just get it out of your house. Hire a professional stager or a Realtor who will include it with his/her services. Nothing will help sell your house better than great decorating taste and a cozy, happy lifestyle on display.

If all of this seems overwhelming, it’s not if your Realtor does the heavy lifting and guides you through the process. Our Sales Managers at Winchester Homes can help you avoid these mistakes help you find a Realty professional such as Coral Gundlach in your area.

Visit www.winchesterhomes.com or www.camberleyhomes.com to get the latest information and help you find the home of your dreams. Winchester Homes builds new home communities in Maryland and Virgnia. With Winchester Homes "Your Home. Your Way." program, you can design your new home to match the way you live.