5 Fatal Mistakes Homeowners Make When Selling Their Holiday Home

Deciding to sell the house where your family has spent so many summers is an emotionally charged decision, and that's why it's sometimes difficult to separate the memories from the decisions that need to be made during the process.

Working with dozens of property owners on the Costa Blanca has taught us that it's almost always the same oversights that delay a sale or cause them to lose money along the way. We'll tell you what the five most common ones are and what to do to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Setting a price based on emotional attachment and not on the real market

It's understandable to want to put a high price on a house where so many memories have been made. The problem is that the market doesn't value memories; it values location, the condition of the property, and what other buyers are paying for similar properties in the area.

When the asking price is based on personal feelings about the property rather than on these factors, the house often remains on the market for months. And a property that has been listed for too long begins to generate doubts among buyers, even when the reason has nothing to do with the property itself.

The danger of "trying your luck" with an overpriced item

Many homeowners think they have nothing to lose by trying a higher price, and that they can often lower it if it doesn't work. But that strategy rarely comes without a price. Every week without viewings diminishes the property's appeal, and by the time the price is finally adjusted, it has lost that novelty factor that attracts buyers; more often than not, it sells later and for less than it would have if the price had been set from the start.

Adjusting the price to reflect market realities is just the first step. Then comes the way the property is presented, and there, too, oversights can prove costly.

Error 2: Neglecting visual preparation and the condition of the home

A vacation home sells the thrill of imagining yourself living there. That's why a poorly lit photograph or a messy living room can do more damage than it seems.

Listing your property doesn't require a complete renovation. Maintaining natural light, tidiness, and thorough cleaning significantly improves the perception of the home, as do easily noticeable repairs like a blind that doesn't close properly or a squeaky door. Whenever possible, it's also advisable to invest in professional photography and videography.

The first impression, which today often comes in digital format through a portal or website, is what determines whether a buyer continues looking or moves on to the next property. A well-presented home sells faster and also holds its price better during negotiations.

With the property now ready to charm, the next step is to ensure that the paperwork doesn't slow down the operation just when it's at its most advanced.

Error 3: Not having the legal and tax documentation ready in advance

This is where many sales that were progressing well suddenly stall. Having all the paperwork in order before listing the property is the key to closing a deal in weeks instead of months.

Lack of Energy Performance Certificate, Certificate of Occupancy or updated Property Registry Extract

The Energy Performance Certificate is mandatory for advertising and selling any property, so it's advisable to have it ready from the start. The Certificate of Occupancy, required in some autonomous communities, and an up-to-date Property Registry Extract confirm that the property is free of encumbrances and that everything matches the official records.

Ignoring the calculation of the Municipal Capital Gains Tax and Personal Income Tax before accepting an offer

Another common oversight is accepting an offer without first calculating the municipal capital gains tax (Plusvalía Municipal), levied by the city council on the increase in land value, and the personal income tax (IRPF) on the profit from the sale. Knowing these figures beforehand allows for more confident negotiation and a clearer understanding of the final amount of money, rather than discovering it when it's too late to make any changes.

With the price, presentation, and paperwork sorted, the only thing left is to find the right buyer.

Error 4: Wasting housing by not segmenting the international buyer

A holiday home on the Mediterranean coast finds a buyer in Spain or abroad, and often it's the international market that pays the best prices and decides sooner. By ignoring this, a significant portion of those interested in this type of property are being excluded.

Limit sales to national portals when the ideal buyer searches in their own language

A Belgian, Dutch, British, or Russian buyer looking for a second home in Spain doesn't browse the same websites as a Spanish buyer, nor do they search in Spanish. If the listing is only available in one language and on national channels, the property won't appear to a large portion of that audience, even though they are precisely the ones most interested in buying it.

So, publishing in multiple languages and on the right channels is what gets you to the buyer who is really looking for that house.

Finding the right buyer is only half the job. Then you have to manage the relationship with the agencies representing the property effectively, and that's where one of the most common mistakes comes in.

Mistake 5: Working with multiple agencies without a commitment to active management

It seems logical to think that the more agencies that have the listing, the faster the house will sell. In practice, however, the opposite usually happens.

The myth of "the more agencies that have it, the faster it sells"

When no agency is truly committed to a sale, none invests time, resources, or marketing strategy in that particular property, because there's no guarantee that the effort will result in a sale. The result is outdated listings, inconsistent pricing across different portals, and a feeling that something is off about the house—something that repels serious buyers instead of attracting them.

Active and committed management, on the other hand, allows for the coordination of strategy, photography, dissemination in several languages, and follow-up with each interested person, something that almost rarely happens when responsibility is divided among too many hands.

How to sell your holiday home quickly and at the best price with Larrosa&Co

At Larrosa&Co Properties we have been supporting homeowners in Guardamar del Segura and throughout the Costa Blanca for over 25 years, and we know that selling a holiday home is, above all, a decision that deserves a good professional strategy.

Our team values each property using market data, prepares a visual presentation that takes care of every detail, reviews the documentation and taxes with you before any offer arrives, and reaches the right international buyer.

If you're thinking about selling your holiday home, let's talk. The sooner we start preparing the process, the sooner you'll achieve the result you're looking for, with the peace of mind that comes from knowing every step has been taken correctly.

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