In tough housing markets, even a small slip-up on the part of a seller can cause a buyer to lose interest.

HGTV’s FrontDoor.com identified what it believes to be the top 10 home-selling mistakes, presented in a David Letterman-style list and emailed in a news release. If you’re selling a home, or plan to soon, take a look at the gaffes below to make sure you’re not guilty of one:

10. WAITING UNTIL SPRING TO SELL. People buy homes all year, so play up the home’s seasonal amenities and take advantage of serious buyers looking in the off-season.

9. NOT UNDERSTANDING THE REAL ESTATE CONTRACT. Go over the fine print of the agreement with your real-estate agent or attorney before signing to make sure you understand your responsibilities as well as any demands the buyer has made.

8. GOING IT ALONE WITHOUT RESEARCHING FIRST. Selling a home for-sale- by-owner take time, and requires you to do paperwork, marketing and showings.
Make sure
you’re up for the work involved in return for saving on the real- estate agent commission fee.

7. IGNORING LOWBALL OFFERS. If buyers submit a low offer, don’t reject it completely. Counteroffer to see if they are willing to negotiate.

6. WASTING TIME ON AN UNQUALIFIED BUYER. Make sure a potential buyer is prequalified for a loan before accepting an offer.

5. SKIMPING ON MARKETING. Mix traditional advertising, including a sign in the yard and an ad in a homes magazine, with Web techniques, including online photos and video.

4. SABOTAGING THE SHOWING. Leave the home when it is being shown to prospective buyers so they can more easily focus, and make sure the home is accessible with convenient showing hours and a lockbox for agents.

3. NOT PREPPING FOR THE SALE. Visit open houses in the neighborhood to get a sense of what the competition offers, then make fixes and updates, declutter and clean to outshine them.

2. OVERIMPROVING. Don’t make so many upgrades that you price your home out of the appropriate range for the area and fail to recoup your investment.

1. OVERPRICING. Your home should be priced in line with homes in the area that are of similar age, style and size.

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