Mistake 1 · An inflated asking price
This is the most expensive mistake, and it almost always comes from good intentions: "let's list high, we can always come down." The problem is that an apartment gets the most attention in its first few weeks on the market. That's the window when every active buyer sees it for the first time. If the price is inflated, they simply skip it — and you don't get those same buyers back. What happens next is predictable: after six quiet weeks a price cut arrives, then another. By then the apartment is already labeled as "sitting," and the offers that come in are lower than what you'd have gotten had the price been right from day one. How to avoid it: set the price based on transactions that actually closed nearby — not asking prices on listing sites, and not what a neighbor claims they got.
Mistake 2 · Going to market unprepared
An apartment photographed in the evening on a phone, with laundry on the balcony and cluttered counters, gets fewer inquiries. Fewer inquiries means fewer offers, and fewer offers means a lower final price. This isn't about renovating — it's about preparing: clearing clutter, touching up damaged paint, fixing a stuck shutter, replacing burnt-out bulbs, a thorough clean — then professional photos in daylight. A few hundred shekels and two days of work completely change the first impression. Rule of thumb from the field: any visible flaw a buyer notices during a viewing, they'll deduct far more from the price than it would have cost to fix beforehand.
Mistake 3 · Listing with everyone at once
The logic sounds right: more agents, more exposure. In practice the opposite happens. When an apartment is listed with six different agents at once, none of them truly invests in it — because the odds their specific effort pays off are low. The result: amateur photos, a price that jumps between different listings, and conflicting information. Buyers notice this immediately, and understand there's pressure to sell. That's a weak opening position for negotiation. How to avoid it: choose one agent who genuinely invests in the property, with a real marketing plan.
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