Common mistakes when selling a flat in Alicante

The most common mistakes when selling a flat in Alicante are five: setting an unrealistic asking price, publishing photos that don’t do the home justice, not having the paperwork ready, renovating what doesn’t add value, and choosing an agency by the lowest commission alone. Almost no home that takes months to sell has a real problem — it has one of these avoidable mistakes.

1. Setting an unrealistic asking price

This is the costliest mistake in terms of time. A price well above the market doesn’t just fail to attract better offers — it puts off serious buyers, and the listing starts to “burn out” on portals, which later forces a bigger price cut than would have been needed if it had been set correctly from the start.

2. Publishing photos that don’t do the home justice

Dark, crooked, or hastily-taken phone photos of an untidied home are the main reason a listing doesn’t generate viewings. The first impression is made on the buyer’s phone, before they ever step inside.

3. Not having the paperwork ready

Once an interested buyer shows up, every week spent gathering documents is a week they could change their mind or find another option. Having everything ready before listing speeds up signing once the moment arrives.

4. Renovating what doesn’t add value (or skipping what does)

Not every renovation pays for itself in the sale price. Sometimes a light kitchen or bathroom refresh raises the price by more than it costs; other times, a full renovation doesn’t translate into a proportionally higher price. It’s worth having a clear view before spending.

5. Choosing an agency by the lowest commission, not the result

Commission is only part of the real cost of a poorly handled sale: a badly valued or badly presented home that takes twice as long to sell ends up costing more, even with a lower commission.

If you want to avoid these mistakes from the start, begin with a free, no-obligation valuation.