6 typical mistakes when selling a villa: purchase price, documents, viewing & co.

6 mistakes when selling a villa – As you have already seen, selling a property privately can be challenging. Worse, however, are the risks and mistakes that can arise when selling privately. Mistakes that ultimately lead to a lower sale price and direct financial losses for you as the seller. Here are the most common mistakes when selling large properties.

1) Sales under time pressure, poor preparation

The effort and scope of selling a property are often underestimated. A frequent consequence is the resulting time pressure, which has a negative impact on the sales price. Mistakes in the preparation of the sale can have far-reaching consequences – and not just financial ones. After all, the buyer must also obtain financing from their bank with the information and documents provided. Inadequate preparation can cause the sales project to fail at any stage.

Tip: Leave nothing to chance. Take enough time to prepare for the sale of your property.

Set your goals and plan the steps of the sale with foresight. Let our professional service support you in the targeted and best possible sale of your property.

2) Incorrect estimation of the purchase price

The asking price is always based on the value of the property. However, the owner’s personal assessment is often very different: The sales price is estimated too high or too low. In both cases, a financial loss is incurred and the buyer may not be able to finance the property. Our fair market valuation is made up of various factors. In our valuation, we only consider properties that are comparable to yours. This applies to the type of house or apartment as well as the property location and furnishings. Determining the purchase price is a crucial aspect of a successful real estate sale.

Tip: Our process evaluates the properties sold in your region and thus determines a realistic sales price in line with the market. Don’t give away any money.

You can find everything you need to know about the valuation here:

3) Incomplete or missing documents

Obtaining and submitting documents for the sale of the property is necessary at every stage. Prospective buyers, authorities, offices and banks require documents or issue them. Compile all the necessary documents as early as possible. Current land register extracts are issued by the local court, and the declarations of division for the residential complex are also important. The complete key data on the property, which can be found in the construction plans, land register extracts and site plans, will be requested by serious prospective buyers at the latest at the viewing appointment. If an energy certificate or important documents are not available at an early stage, potential buyers may lose interest or the sale may fall through at a later date – for example, if the bank objects to missing documents or a purchase price that is too high.

Tip: If you wish, we can obtain many of the required documents for you.

Here is a list of the most important documents for house and apartment sales:

  1. Floor plans
  2. Site plan
  3. Land register extract
  4. Fire insurance certificate
  5. An overview of the ancillary costs
  6. List of all renovation work
  7. Photos
  8. The current energy certificate
  9. The specification of the living space
  10. Any existing rental agreements
  11. If there is more than one owner, please specify the ownership structure
  12. A detailed description of the property

More about the most important documents here:

4) Poorly represented property

Today, properties are sold online – regardless of whether it is a divorce, separation or inheritance. Prospective buyers search for suitable properties in social media and online databases on the Internet. Present your property in the best possible way and in line with your target group.

Tip: Before the viewing appointment and even before the first photo session, the property for sale must appear well maintained and homely.

Don’t miss out on getting your property in top condition inside and out.

  • Do not put off repair work and maintenance any longer.
  • Declutter and create a clear impression.
  • Ensure cleanliness and a homely and appealing atmosphere.

Home staging” pays off. This involves preparing the property so that potential buyers feel right at home and fall in love with the property. We will be happy to provide you with advice. Some tips on home staging:

  • Remove personal items before the viewing appointment
  • Enhance the property visually and emotionally

5) Photos: Daylight, open space and diversity

However, the most important factor is probably the pictures – especially for real estate marketing and the exposé. A buyer naturally wants to see as much of the property as possible to get an idea of whether the property could be something for them.

To take great pictures of your property, there are a few things you need to bear in mind: First of all, the rooms should of course be tidy and clean. You should also make sure you take the pictures in daylight so that the rooms can be seen clearly and buyers can assess how much daylight enters the rooms.

The most beautiful room, the roof terrace, the open kitchen or perhaps the bay window with a view. Your cover picture should be the most expressive and represent the best of the property. Pictures of all rooms and, if available, the garden/balcony/terrace, an exterior view and, above all, a floor plan should not be missing.

Photo tips at a glance:

  • Rooms clean and tidy
  • Daylight (speaks for bright rooms)
  • First picture should be the best photo
  • Cover all rooms and surfaces
  • Floor plan

You can find out what is important in an exposé here:

6) Poorly prepared for the viewing appointment

Prospective buyers have important questions at viewing appointments. They need time to familiarize themselves with the property and its surroundings. Competent and technically sound information is expected when it comes to structural issues. When selling properties, detailed questions are asked about the common property, as these shares are also purchased together with the property.

Tip: We will help you with any questions you may have at the viewing appointment. We already make a pre-selection when selecting prospective buyers so that neither time nor effort is wasted.

We take care of the sales negotiations for you. With our many years of experience, we can conduct the negotiations for the sale of your property very successfully. As estate agents, we remain objective and do not allow ourselves to be pressured into decisions.

Conclusion: How to avoid mistakes & risks?

If you want to sell your property and avoid these pitfalls from the outset, contact a real estate agency directly. Real estate agents are contacts with expertise who not only have years of experience, but also the necessary know-how and knowledge.

With an estate agent’s service, you can avoid lengthy negotiations and negative buyers, so that you can have a purchase contract drawn up for the property promptly and initiate the handover.