Anyone selling a house for the first time rarely stumbles over „the market“ - but rather over typical errors in thinking. I come across many of these mistakes again and again when selling property in Nuremberg. They cost time, nerves and often money in the end.
In this article, I'll show you the five most common mistakes I've made in my practice - and how I systematically avoid them in the sales process.
Misconception 1: „We set the price high for now - we can always go lower“
Sounds logical, but in practice it is one of the most expensive mistakes. An offer price that is set too high leads to the fact that:
- serious buyers do not even click on your property
- the object „stays put“ and looks old in the portals
- later necessary price reductions trigger mistrust
- You often end up realising less than would have been possible with a realistic starting price
Instead of wishful thinking, I work with a well-founded evaluation:
- Market value: the realistically realisable market value under normal conditions
- Standard land value: Orientation for the property value in your location
- Market analysis: Evaluation of supply, demand and actual sales prices in Nuremberg
- Reference properties: Comparison with houses that have actually been sold - not just advertised
- Material value method: especially for owner-occupied single-family homes and semi-detached houses
- Income capitalisation approach: for rented houses or apartment blocks if the focus is on rental income
This results in an offer price that suits the property, the market and your situation - and not just a figure in your head.
Misconception 2: „A few mobile phone photos are enough - the house will sell itself“
Photos are often underestimated. In reality, before someone reads a line of text, they see the first picture. When selling property in Nuremberg, offers are skimmed over in a matter of seconds - either you get stuck or you are clicked away.
Typical consequences of bad photos:
- Your property looks smaller, darker and less attractive than it actually is
- Serious interested parties sort out your offer early on
- many „curious“ people get in touch, but few suitable buyers
This is how I proceed to avoid this:
- Professional object shots with clear lighting
- Preparation of the rooms (organisation, structure, minor corrections)
- Logical image sequence that makes a tour comprehensible
- Realistic presentation instead of exaggerated wide-angle effects
Good photos are not a luxury, but a sales tool. They help decide how many suitable enquiries are generated in the first place.
Misconception 3: „The main thing is an interested party - the financing will work out“
Many sellers are happy about the first serious purchase offer - and trust that „the bank will take care of it“. However, cancelled financing is one of the most common reasons for failed sales.
The risks:
- the sale drags on for weeks because documents are missing or banks are hesitant
- the buyer cancels if the financing does not go through
- You have to start again - with the question: „Why is the house back on the market?“
When selling property in Nuremberg, I therefore check the plausibility as well as possible:
- Is there already a financing confirmation from a bank?
- Is there sufficient equity available - including for ancillary purchase costs such as land transfer tax, notary and land registry costs?
- Does the bid match the valuation (market value, market analysis, reference properties)?
- Are there any dependencies, e.g. the sale of another property?
An offer is only really viable if the price, financing and schedule match.
Misconception 4: „We can also collect the documents later“
„We'll do the energy certificate at some point, we have the land register extract somewhere, we'll find the plans ...“ - I often hear sentences like this at the beginning. Later on, it's precisely these missing documents that slow down the process.
Typical consequences:
- Banks cannot check
- Buyers are unsettled
- the notary appointment is postponed
- Enquiries pile up and cost everyone involved time
That's why I start early with a clean inventory:
- current extract from the land register
- Building plans and floor plans
- Calculation of living space
- Energy certificate
- Proof of modernisation (roof, heating, windows, etc.)
- for rented houses: Rental contracts, incoming rent, ancillary costs
- For condominiums in the building: declaration of division, minutes of the owners' meetings, economic plan, property management accounts
I also address tax issues such as speculation tax at an early stage so that you can clarify these with a tax advisor in good time - especially if less than ten years have passed between the purchase and sale. In this way, we avoid surprises shortly before notarisation.
Misconception 5: „A house sale happens on the side - a few viewings and then it's done“
Selling a house is not an after-work project. It consists of many steps that must interlock to ensure that selling property in Nuremberg runs smoothly and professionally:
- Structured preparation
- Realistic pricing strategy
- Professional presentation
- Coordination of visits
- Pre-qualification of interested parties
- Negotiations
- Coordination with banks and notary
- Planning the handover with meter readings, protocol and documents
If this process is not followed, the following quickly happens:
- Too many inappropriate visits
- Contradictory statements to interested parties
- Stress due to constant ad-hoc appointments
- Unnecessary pressure in the negotiations
My approach: I see sales as a project with a clear process, responsibilities and schedule - not as a series of coincidences.
How I avoid these mistakes in everyday life
To prevent these typical mistakes from becoming your personal everyday sales routine, I follow a clear pattern for every house sale.
The most important building blocks:
- Sound valuation: market value, standard land value, market analysis, reference properties, asset value method or capitalised earnings value method - depending on the property.
- Clear pricing strategy: it is better to start in line with the market than to give in later under pressure.
- Strong presentation: professional photos, structured appearance, honest description.
- Examination of interested parties: Focus on financing, ancillary purchase costs, schedule and motivation.
- Complete preparation: Documents and special features clarified before the first contract is prepared.
- Structure right to the end: Support until notarisation and handover so that the sale does not falter just before the finish line.
Quick check for owners: How many of these misconceptions apply to you?
- Price feeling instead of assessed market value: Do you have a figure in mind - or a comprehensible valuation?
- Mobile phone photos instead of property photos: Is your house shown as it deserves to be?
- Likeability instead of affordability: Do you check offers based on feelings or facts?
- Documents „somewhere“: Could you send all the important documents in full to the notary and bank today?
- On the side instead of structured: Do you have a clear plan from the first meeting to the handover?
The more these points make you think, the more sensible it is to see sales as a professional process - not as an experiment.
Especially when selling property in Nuremberg, the market is too important to test it with typical mistakes. My job is to avoid precisely these pitfalls - and to set up your sale in such a way that the result, the process and the feeling all fit together in the end.
