Selling a car on your own can be a challenge. And that is why most people hire car salespersons to help them with the process. But these professional takes a huge percentage of the car sale proceeds in commission, leaving the seller with too little. So, to get the highest proceeds possible from your car sale, you should consider selling it yourself, no matter how complicated it may appear. Here are pitfalls to avoid for a smooth transaction.
Selling a Dirty Car with Scratches
A dirty car with scratches is likely to attract few potential buyers. Buyers want shiny, attractive, and well-maintained cars. So, you should ensure your car is well cleaned both in the interior and exterior to ensure it gains much attention from potential buyers. You should also spend some money to detail the car. Detailing will help hide minor scratches and make the car appear new. You can repaint the car.
Posting a Few Photos and Using a Poor Description
When putting your car up for sale, don’t take just a few photos. Few photos will give buyers an accurate representation of the car. Buyers want to see the car’s exterior, including the headlights, rims, paintwork, bumpers, trim, and more.
They also want to see the car’s interior, including the seats, dashboard, entertainment system, and other unique features. So, take many photos and create a detailed description of the car.
Setting an Unrealistic Price
Price is a key factor to consider when selling your car. If you set the price too high, you will likely stay with your car for much longer. Also, don’t set the price too low. Do some research and find out the current market price of similar cars. In addition, use online car valuation tools to get an estimate of your car’s worth. Then, use that information to set the right price.
Closing the Sale Without Proper Documentation
Selling a car involves some paperwork. And you need to prepare all the documentation to ensure a seamless transaction. You will need to clear the title. Most importantly, you need to prepare a bill of sale, which will be signed by you (the seller) and the buyer to transfer ownership. Please note that bill of sale can be notarized for the transaction to be legal.
Delivering the Car to the Buyer Before Confirming Payment
Some sellers are too excited to close the deal, especially if they have wanted to sell the car for so long, and end up delivering it to the buyer before confirming payment. Don’t make that mistake. Before you deliver the car to the buyer, confirm if the payment has been deposited into your bank account.
Selling a car yourself may seem like an uphill task. But it shouldn’t since Forms.Legal can help with a chunk of the process. We offer a bill of sale templates for different states to streamline the car sale. All you need is to fill in the form, download, print, and sign it. You can notarize it if necessary. Download bill of sale for Florida, Texas or for any other US state here.