Why poor time management is one of the biggest mistakes in real estate sales
Most people don't sell their home because they want a change of scenery, but because their life situation has changed fundamentally. This could be due to separation, a new addition to the family, old age, or a career change. In very few cases is this a stress-free and relaxed time. Selling your home is just an additional stress factor that needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible. Very few owners give much thought to the necessary paperwork and proper time management.
It is often joked that real estate agents are the most expensive locksmiths in Germany. If that is the case, then the property should sell quickly. What many people forget is that the preparation for the sale alone takes a lot of time. It takes quite a while to apply for and find all the important documents—at least if you don't know where to look. Those who simply want to skip this process may be in for a nasty surprise. If legally required documents such as the energy performance certificate are missing, this can even result in a fine.
And even if you save time by not having professional photos, floor plans, and other information taken, you will only end up investing it elsewhere later on. Depending on demand in your region, two scenarios are likely: If demand is high, a large number of interested parties will contact you to view the property – only to check it out on site. How many of them are still interested after this appointment can often be counted on one hand. If demand in the region is rather low, it may even be that no one responds at all from the outset.
But just when the phone won't stop ringing and your email inbox is full, owners are faced with another time problem. How are you supposed to respond to all these inquiries, and when are all these viewings going to take place? At this point, at the latest, the house sale becomes overwhelming for many sellers. Because, of course, the viewing appointments are not the end of the journey: Especially if the price has been set too high, many interested parties want to negotiate, and the creditworthiness of those interested in the price must also be checked. In the end, even if demand is high at the beginning, you may find yourself without a buyer—and then the whole process starts all over again.
There are two ways to prevent this: Either you plan your house sale perfectly from start to finish and take the time to obtain documents, respond to inquiries, conduct viewings, and negotiate – or you seek help from a real estate professional and leave the time management to them. This has another advantage: a local real estate agent has a wealth of experience in all these matters and can therefore handle them much faster than a private seller. This also significantly shortens the selling time and means that the proceeds from the sale are available to you more quickly.
Don't have the time to sell your property? Contact us now. We'll be happy to take care of it for you!