I've Been a Realtor for 22 Years. Here Are 3 Things I Wish Every Seller Knew

After 22 years in real estate, I’ve walked through a lot of homes, sat at a lot of kitchen tables, negotiated a lot of contracts, and helped sellers through just about every type of market you can imagine.

And while every home and every transaction is different, there are a few things I find myself telling sellers over and over again.

If you’re thinking about selling your home in Athens, Georgia, or the surrounding area, here are three things I wish every seller knew before the For Sale sign goes in the yard.

1. The First Few Weeks on the Market Matter More Than You Think

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear from sellers is:

"We can always start high and come down later."

Technically, yes. Strategically, that can be a costly mistake.

Your home gets the most attention when it first hits the market. Buyers who have been watching and waiting for the right property will see it almost immediately. Their agents will see it. It’s new, it’s fresh, and there’s a sense of urgency around it.

That initial window is incredibly valuable.

If your home is priced too high, buyers may skip it entirely. And by the time you reduce the price a few weeks later, you’ve lost some of that new-listing momentum.

Then buyers start asking a different question:

"Why hasn't it sold?"

Pricing a home correctly doesn't mean pricing it low. It means looking carefully at recent sales, current competition, condition, location, buyer demand, and what is actually happening in the market right now.

The goal isn't simply to get your home listed.

The goal is to get it sold — with the best possible combination of price, terms, and timing.

2. Buyers Notice the Little Things — Even When You Think They Won't

You live in your home every day, which means you've probably stopped noticing some of the things a buyer will notice within the first five minutes.

The scuffed baseboards.

The burned-out lightbulb.

The dripping faucet.

The overgrown shrubs.

The room that feels dark because the curtains are closed.

The closet packed so tightly that buyers wonder whether the house has enough storage.

None of these things individually may seem like a big deal. But together, they shape how a buyer feels about your home.

And real estate is more emotional than most people realize.

You don't necessarily need a major renovation before selling. In fact, I often advise sellers not to spend money on certain improvements because they aren't likely to get that money back.

Instead, focus on the things that make the home feel clean, bright, well-maintained, and cared for.

Sometimes a few small changes can completely change a buyer's first impression.

That's one reason I like to walk through a home with my sellers before we list. I can look at it through a buyer's eyes and help determine what's worth doing, what's not, and where your time and money will have the biggest impact.

3. The Highest Offer Isn't Always the Best Offer

This one surprises a lot of sellers.

Imagine receiving two offers.

One is several thousand dollars higher but includes a financing contingency, appraisal contingency, closing-cost request, longer due diligence period, and other conditions.

The other is slightly lower but has stronger financing, fewer contingencies, a shorter due diligence period, and a closing date that works perfectly for you.

Which is the better offer?

It depends.

When I review offers with my sellers, we don't just look at the number at the top of the contract.

We look at the whole offer.

That includes financing, earnest money, due diligence, appraisal terms, closing costs, contingencies, closing date, possession, buyer-broker compensation when applicable, and anything else that could affect the likelihood of actually making it to the closing table.

I've seen sellers become so focused on getting the highest possible price that they overlook terms that could ultimately cost them money — or even cause the transaction to fall apart.

A strong offer isn't just about price.

It's about price + terms + risk.

One More Thing: Selling a Home Is a Strategy, Not Just a Listing

After more than two decades in this business, this may be the biggest lesson of all.

Putting a home in the MLS is the easy part.

The real work happens before and after that.

How should the home be prepared?

Where should it be priced?

How will it compete against other homes buyers are considering?

How should it be marketed?

What happens when feedback starts coming in?

When do you adjust your strategy — and when do you hold steady?

What do you do when an offer arrives?

And once you're under contract, how do you navigate inspections, due diligence, appraisal, financing, title issues, repairs, deadlines, and everything else between contract and closing?

That's where experience matters.

I've been helping buyers and sellers in the Athens area since 2004, and I've worked through hot seller's markets, buyer's markets, changing interest rates, multiple-offer situations, slow markets, complicated inspections, difficult negotiations, and plenty of surprises along the way.

No two transactions are exactly alike.

But after 22 years, you learn how to anticipate a lot of the things that can go wrong — and how to handle them when they do.

Thinking About Selling Your Athens-Area Home?

If you're considering selling a home in Athens, Oconee County, or the surrounding Northeast Georgia area, you don't have to wait until you're ready to put a sign in the yard to talk to a Realtor.

In fact, I'd rather talk before you're ready.

We can walk through your home, discuss what I would — and wouldn't — recommend doing before listing, look at what's happening in your specific market, and put together a strategy that makes sense for you.

I've called Athens home since 1999 and have been helping buyers and sellers here since 2004.

If you're thinking about making a move, I'd love to help you figure out your next step.

Leah Leggett, Realtor® & Associate Broker
Serving Athens, Oconee County & surrounding Northeast Georgia communities
LeahLeggett.com