The Biggest Obstacle to Selling Your Home? It Might Be You!

Believe it or not, one of the toughest challenges when selling your home isn’t the market, it’s you—well, your emotions, to be exact. It’s totally understandable though; your home is your baby, and letting go isn’t easy. But here’s the thing: when emotions run high, bad decisions tend to follow, which could interfere with your ultimate goal—selling your home fast and for top dollar.

Our advice? Save those feelings for your favorite rom-com binge, and let’s treat this like the business transaction it is!

Here’s how you can keep your emotions in check and avoid sabotaging your own sale:

1. Don’t Overprice Your Home

It’s natural to think your home is worth a premium—after all, it holds all your memories and hard work! But here’s the reality check: buyers aren’t going to pay more for features that only have sentimental value to you.

The challenge:
Buyers’ agents are comparing homes by neighbourhood and pricing them at market value. If your home is priced too high because of emotional attachment, it’s going to be passed over. Worse, it won’t hold up against homes in that higher price bracket because those homes are a level above. That’s a lose-lose situation.

The solution:
Pricing your home right is an art, and your real estate agent is the artist. We’ll use hard data—recent sales, market trends, demand, location, and condition—to set a price that gets you noticed and gets you offers. No emotional attachments here, just strategy.

2. Avoid Being Home During Showings

We get it—packing up your stuff and clearing out for every showing is a hassle. But here’s the thing: buyers need to feel comfortable, and that’s hard to do with the owner hovering around. They want to take their time, open closets, and chat freely with their agent about what they like (and don’t like).

The challenge:
When you’re there, buyers feel awkward, and they’re more likely to rush through the viewing. This could mean missing out on features they’d love or not giving your home the attention it deserves—leading to fewer offers.

The solution:
Find a coffee shop, run errands, or take a walk. The more time buyers have to explore, the more likely they are to fall in love with your home. And hey, the sooner you sell, the fewer times you’ll have to leave for showings!

3. Avoid Going FSBO (For Sale By Owner)

We get it—sharing 5% of your sale price with a real estate agent can sting a little. But trust us, trying to sell on your own will cost you way more in the long run.

The challenge:
FSBO, or “For Sale by Owner,” comes with a ton of hurdles:

• You won’t get the exposure an agent’s network and marketing can provide.

• You’ll still need to pay $500 to $1,000 to list on Realtor.ca and MLS (which is non-negotiable if you want serious buyers).

• You’ll have to handle showings, negotiations, and paperwork—solo.

• You risk pricing your home wrong, which could either leave it sitting unsold or selling for less than it’s worth.

• Statistically, FSBO homes sell for about 11% less than agent-listed homes (so there goes your 5% savings and more!).

The solution:
Hiring a real estate agent means you get a pro who knows the market inside and out. We’ll price your home right, get it listed where it matters, and use our marketing and negotiation skills to get you top dollar. Plus, we’ve got connections to the best stagers and tradespeople to make sure your home is buyer-ready. In short, we help you make money, not lose it!

4. Don’t Limit Showings to Suit Your Schedule

We know life gets busy and sometimes you just need some downtime, but limiting showings to fit your schedule could be slowing down your sale.

The challenge:
The times you most want to block out—after work and weekends—are exactly when buyers are available to view homes.

The solution:
Open up your schedule and allow showings during prime viewing times. Evening showings and weekends are when most buyers are house hunting, so giving them more access means you’re more likely to sell faster and with less hassle in the long run.

5. Let Go of the Clutter (Even If It’s Sentimental!)

Decluttering and depersonalizing your space is a must, but it can feel tough when you’ve spent years making your home your own. We get it—you’ve got memories and favorite pieces, but buyers need to picture themselves living there.

The challenge:
Too many personal items—whether it’s your favorite art, family heirlooms, or that tchotchke collection—can distract buyers. They might have a hard time seeing past your style to imagine their own life in the space.

The solution:
Trust your real estate team when we suggest staging and decluttering. By creating a neutral, welcoming environment, you’ll appeal to more buyers and help them envision themselves living in your home. Plus, this process can be surprisingly freeing—it helps you start to emotionally detach and focus on the next chapter.

Selling your home can stir up all kinds of emotions, but keeping them in check is the best way to ensure you get the price you deserve and sell quickly. Stick with these strategies and leave the rest to us—we’ve got your back!