The Top 10 Listing Turn-Offs that Kill Deals

Once you secure a highly coveted listing, the last thing you want to do is blow your chances at securing a hot offer. But making one of these mistakes could sink your sale. Find out how to avoid these all-too-common listing pitfalls and the smart staging, photo and marketing tips to turn it all around.

1. Bad Photos

Blame Instagram filters for making everyone with a smartphone consider themselves a budding Annie Leibovitz. But when it comes to listing photos, resist the urge to snap a few pics with your phone and call it a day. Photos are everything when it comes to making a first impression on potential buyers, so hire professionals to take sharp, high-resolution listing photos from multiple, flattering angles.

And remember to look out for the little things that may be major buyer turn-offs. The dishes in the sink, an open toilet lid, a stray ashtray or even the household pets lounging in the living room often sneak into photos and can signal a red flag for buyers. Instead, learn the five photos that may help set your listing apart and capture the attention of to buyers—and how to capture them.

2. Embellishing

Photos may not lie, but listing copy certainly can. You might think that a little exaggeration is a harmless way to get buyers in the door, but your white lies will instantly be evident when it comes time to show, and your newly-alienated buyers will turn right back around. When you lose trust, you lose a potential sale.