Each mistake below has the same anatomy: what goes wrong, and what works instead. The cumulative effect of avoiding all ten is the difference between a sale that goes firm in 21 days and one that sits 60+.
Mistake 1
Overpricing the home.
The most common, most costly mistake. "We can always reduce later" sounds reasonable. It isn't. Overpriced listings get less attention, fewer showings, and the price drop comes when the listing already reads stale.
What goes wrongQuieter first 14 days, weaker momentum, eventual price reduction that hurts your negotiating position rather than helping it.
What works insteadSet a strategic price that attracts strong interest in the first week, when buyer attention is at peak.
Mistake 2
Underpricing without a strategy.
Tactical underpricing (2–5% below comps to draw multiple offers and pressure the price up) works in seller-favouring markets. Accidental underpricing leaves money on the table and attracts the wrong buyer profile.
What goes wrongYou undershoot your target outcome and fail to create the competition that drives final price upward.
What works insteadBelow-market pricing is intentional, with a clear plan for the review-date offer process.
Mistake 3
Weak presentation.
Today's buyers are selective. Phone photos, clutter, and dated finishes don't just photograph poorly — they change what buyers feel the home is worth on the walkthrough. Presentation moves sale price ±5–8%.
What goes wrongBuyers focus on distractions instead of value. The home feels less compelling online and in person.
What works insteadPre-listing prep ($5K–$15K typical) that returns 3–5× in final price.
Mistake 4
Weak marketing.
Listing on MLS is not marketing — it's distribution. Professional photo + video + drone + floor plans are table stakes at the Coquitlam price point. Without them, your listing gets scrolled past in three seconds.
What goes wrongYour listing gets overlooked, fails to generate urgency, reaches fewer serious buyers.
What works insteadFull production package produced before launch day — never during.
Mistake 5
Choosing the wrong timing.
Strongest seasonal windows in Coquitlam: mid-March–early May (spring) and mid-September–early November (fall). Late June–August and December–February are noticeably weaker. Launching into a soft window forces sharper pricing.
What goes wrongLaunching when competing inventory is heavy or buyer activity has softened.
What works insteadTime the launch to current inventory levels, buyer activity, and your competition map.
Mistake 6
No plan for what comes next.
Many sellers focus only on the sale and forget to plan where they're going. For move-up families that creates a timing crisis: a sold contract with no purchase plan, or a new purchase with a current home not yet listed.
What goes wrongStress, uncertainty, and gap problems between the sale closing and the next move starting.
What works insteadCoordinate sale + buy as Parallel Motion — not two serial transactions.
Mistake 7
Hiring the wrong listing agent.
Not all agents approach selling the same way. Some list and wait, react instead of plan, and don't provide clear direction. The biggest red flag: an agent who quotes a dramatically higher list price than the others.
What goes wrongYou're left guessing what's next and missing what a stronger plan would have captured. The over-quoted price corrects 60 days later.
What works insteadInterview 3 agents. Ask for last-5-sales data, specific pricing strategy, named photographer + stager.
Mistake 8
Letting emotions drive decisions.
Selling is personal; decisions have to be strategic. Emotional decisions show up as overpricing, rejecting strong offers in the heat of the moment, and delaying decisions that needed to be made yesterday.
What goes wrongOverpricing, rejecting strong offers, delayed decisions that compound into bigger problems.
What works insteadDecide your walk-away number in writing before any offer arrives. Never reject an offer the same day it lands.
Mistake 9
Ignoring current market conditions.
The market is constantly shifting. What worked 18 months ago doesn't necessarily work today. May 2026 Coquitlam is balanced-to-buyer-favouring (24% detached sales-to-listings) — the rules from a seller's market don't apply.
What goes wrongRelying on outdated assumptions about pricing, timing, and buyer behaviour instead of reading the current data.
What works insteadAdapt strategy to current inventory, sales-to-listings ratio, and buyer demand — not last year's playbook.
Mistake 10
Not preparing early enough.
The best results come from preparation, not rushing. Waiting until the last minute means rushed prep, rushed photos, and a soft launch — the exact pattern that produces 60+ day listings.
What goes wrongLess time for repairs, presentation, planning, and strategic timing — the corners that get cut are the ones buyers notice.
What works insteadStart the conversation 60–90 days before list date. Prep done with breathing room outperforms prep done under pressure.
