My Top Real Estate Icks (And How They Cost Buyers & Sellers Real Money)
If you’ve ever bought or sold a home, you already know this:
real estate is emotional, expensive, and full of tiny details that can either protect your investment — or quietly sabotage it.
After selling over a thousand homes across Lake County and Northern Illinois, I’ve seen patterns. Some habits consistently hurt sellers, scare buyers, and slow deals down.
These are my biggest real estate “icks” — the things that instantly make a transaction harder, riskier, or more expensive than it needs to be.
1. Cell Phone Listing Photos From Lazy Agents
Your home’s first showing happens online.
According to the National Association of Realtors, over 97% of buyers start their home search on the internet. That means your listing photos are not optional — they are the first impression.
Dark, crooked cell phone photos make even beautiful homes look cheap, small, and neglected. Buyers scroll past them without ever scheduling a showing.
Professional photography doesn’t just make homes look nicer — it increases perceived value, brings more buyers, and leads to stronger offers. Homes that show well online get more traffic, and more traffic creates competition.
Bad photos don’t save money.
They cost it.
2. Agents Who Don’t Lock Doors After Showings
This one is not a preference — it’s a safety issue.
A real estate agent is trusted with access to someone’s home, personal belongings, and family’s security. Failing to lock doors, windows, or garages after a showing isn’t a small mistake — it’s negligence.
Unlocked homes invite theft, liability, and insurance issues.
If your agent isn’t double-checking every lockbox and door, that’s a red flag.
3. Sellers Who Skip Deep Cleaning
Clean homes sell faster. Period.
And I don’t mean wiping off the kitchen counter. I mean:
-
Baseboards
-
Vents
-
Showers and grout
-
Pet odors
-
Carpets
-
Windows
Buyers will tolerate outdated kitchens far longer than they’ll tolerate dirt, smells, or grime. A dirty home signals neglect — even if the structure is solid.
A professional deep clean typically costs a few hundred dollars and can easily return thousands in perceived value and buyer confidence.
It’s one of the best investments a seller can make.
4. Thinking Basic Maintenance Is the Same as an Update
This is one of the most common pricing mistakes I see.
Replacing a broken furnace, fixing a leaking roof, or repairing a cracked pipe does not add value. Those things are expected. They prevent your home from losing value.
Updates are what move the needle:
-
New flooring
-
Updated kitchens and baths
-
Fresh paint
-
Lighting
-
Curb appeal
Maintenance keeps your home from being discounted.
Updates make buyers pay more.
They are not the same.
5. Buyers Who Call Another Agent “So They Don’t Bother” Their Own
This happens more than you’d think.
Buyers will call another agent to ask questions, schedule showings, or write offers because they “don’t want to bug” their real agent.
That creates confusion, legal risk, and miscommunication.
Your agent is there to represent you. If you don’t feel comfortable calling them, that’s a sign you may need a better one — not a second one.
Multiple agents involved in one transaction almost always create problems.
6. Waiting to Fix Things Until “After It Doesn’t Sell”
The first two weeks on the market are everything.
That’s when your home gets the most views, the most attention, and the most serious buyers. Launching a listing in poor condition or overpriced and saying “we’ll adjust later” almost always leads to price reductions and weaker offers.
Homes that start strong sell for more.
Homes that sit go stale.
There is no reset button in real estate.
7. Ignoring Professional Market Advice
If multiple experienced agents are telling you the same thing about pricing, condition, or presentation, that isn’t coincidence — it’s the market talking.
You don’t have to agree with everything, but ignoring data and professional guidance often leads to longer market times, lower offers, and unnecessary stress.
Real estate is emotional — but pricing and marketing are math.
Final Thoughts
None of these “icks” are meant to shame anyone. They exist because homes are valuable assets — and small mistakes can quietly cost tens of thousands of dollars.
If you’re buying or selling in Lake County or anywhere in Northern Illinois and want honest advice, strong marketing, and an agent who actually locks the doors, I’m always here to help.
