Your home is your greatest financial asset and there’s nothing more wasteful than failing to ensure it’s dressed to impress when you put it on the market.
First impressions are essential for buyer inspections to be a success. At the very least, you want the front of your home and the interior to look neat, tidy and welcoming.
As an experienced agent in our neighborhood, I spend much of my time with clients helping to prime their properties so they’ll achieve the best possible price.
For a successful sale, we have to avoid falling into traps that turn off buyers or put us in a position where we are forced to negotiate a discount to strike a deal.
Our goal is simple: Have as many people as possible excited about living in your home. That way, you’ll sell quickly at a great price.
Below are eight of the most common issues in a home that will send buyers running to the next property. If selling is on your agenda right now, avoid these!
Pet cemetery
Nothing kills the buy-vibe more than the evidence of pets. Water-damaged floorboards are a sign experienced buyers will notice. You may not be able to pick up pet odour in your home, but everyone else will. A full-proof remedy to boost your price is to move out (taking the animals with you), employ professional cleaners and use professionals to stage the home with new furniture and fresh rugs.
Risky remodels
Buyers baulk at homes with upgrades that needed official permission but didn’t get it. Illegal upgrades cause big problems for you. If this is your scenario, talk to a lawyer and local authority about rectifying it before putting the home on the market.
Well, it’s different
When it comes to paint colors, carpets and even object d’art, being unique is not usually a selling point. Buyers blinded by a loud color scheme will walk away from their perfect home. If your home fits this description, turn it into something more vanilla. And replace any patterned carpet with a modern floor covering. Remember, you’re moving out. You can make your next home exactly the way you want it. Right now, we need to get your current home sold.
It’s a jungle out there
Nothing tells a buyer your home is high maintenance more than a ramshackle, overgrown garden. Call in the experts to get it cleaned up if you don’t have a green thumb. It’s a small investment that will pay you back in spades.
Parking blues
Off-street parking is gold. Not everyone has a garage, and I’d not suggest you build one just to sell a home. When buyers visit, keep the parking space clear of bins, toys and bikes to maximize the impression of space.
So shallow
Swimming pools are a blessing and a curse. In the Summer, everyone loves them. In the Winter, all buyers think about is the hassle of cleaning them. If a pool is a prominent feature of your home, consider timing your sale for the warmer months.
Retro kitchen
Kitchens installed when Nixon was president are a huge turn-off. Some excellent upgrade strategies don’t require a total rip-and-replace. Updating doors, drawers and handles is a sound investment. If your budget stretches, install modern appliances.
Clutter bug
A tidy home is the most essential preparation before a buyer comes through your property. Put away laundry, toys, dishes, knick knacks – everything. A dirty or messy home will take money off your negotiation completely unnecessarily.