1. Not listing with the right agent. I know it seems very self serving but not all realtors offer the same level of expertise and experience.
2. Visiting a New Home Subdivision without their agent. There are contractual and representation issues associated with purchasing a new home and the agent sitting in the models DOES NOT represent you, they represent the builder.
3. Searching for a resale home via Truliia, Zillow, Realtor.com etc. The basic information can be found there but information like what type of financing will be accepted, a locally prepared market analysis or whether it is a short sale with an offer pending cannot be discerned from these websites. I can set up a search portal with your specific search criteria that updates instantly.
4. Missing the good times and bad times in the market. Our market is very volatile and has traversed from times when a home was on the market for hours to months. Knowing when and at what price based on local knowledge is an important aspect of getting top dollar for your home.
5. Choosing a real estate agent based on the cheapest pricing. This premise assumes that all real estate agents are the same so whichever is the least expensive is the best option. This is simply not true. Choose a full time real estate agent, local to your area with a good reputation and lots of experience.
6. Choosing a real estate agent because they are a family, friend or recommended by a friend. This is vey common but this recommendation is usually based on the experience of a single transaction.. Family or friends may not be willing to advise you openly because of family or friendship considerations.
7. Making their homes difficult or impossible to show. Agents take the path of least resistance. If we are only given a short window to show a home, it gets left out more often than not.
8. Over reaching or over valuing your home. I know there are many hours of blood, sweat and tears in a home but that doesn't always mean a value that can be redeemed on the open market.
9. Unrealistic expectations of the marketing process. Homes are not selling in 48 hours for $20,000 over market and waiting till they do is usually an eternity.