By Karen McConnaughey
First of all, a reality check: Did you know that sales of new one-family houses in December 2009 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 342,000, according to estimates released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development?
I guess it’s true…people are still buying houses. Maybe not as many as last year at this time, but they’re still buying, and you want to make sure you’re one of the sellers. You know what to do to spruce up and stage your home. But do you know what potential buyers hate the most?
Items that turn off buyers are homes that are full of furniture, mail and magazines, litter throughout counter spaces, litter boxes, bookshelves full of books, and just overall a congested home with no pathways through it because there is so much furniture.
As one website so aptly put it: “Remember when you prepared to go out on a first date? You made darn sure your clothes were ironed, your shoes polished, your teeth brushed and flossed (maybe twice), and perhaps you dabbed on a bit of cologne or perfume. In the middle of dinner, you might have even snuck into the bathroom for a spray of Binaca (do they still sell that?)
“All of this was done in an attempt to impress your date, or at the very least to not turn them off. First impressions matter.
“They matter when you are selling your home too. Not everyone owns the most beautiful move-in ready home with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, a perfect paint job, and clean, stain-free carpets. So, while you may not be able to sweep every potential buyer off their feet, at a minimum, you can most certainly avoid the following.”
And, for heaven’s sake, don’t show the house and start out by answering questions with “oh yes, I’ve been meaning to paint that room, replace that carpet, get an estimate for replacing the roof.” Do it before you waste your time and money advertising and showing. People are not used to seeing the “before” and visualizing “after.”
Nothing can turn off a prospective buyer quicker than loose railings, torn screens or missing hardware on cupboard doors. These easy repairs do not cost a lot of money. If a homebuyer sees that the little things are not attended to, they are likely to believe that the larger things are neglected too. Let buyers know that you have pride in your home by making sure that all of the small repairs are taken care of.
By the way, major renovations usually don't pay for themselves, let alone add enough value for you to make a profit. So why would you want to go through the hassle and expense right before you move? Concentrate instead on smaller fixes with bigger impact, and let your buyers remodel to suit themselves.
Selling a Home? Avoid these Home Buyer Turnoffs
As you read through these, you might want to ask a friend (or a friend of a friend, who will write you a list and never see you again) to evaluate your house as a potential buyer. You can’t get your feelings hurt…pretend it’s not your house anymore; pretend you’re watching one of those Designed to Sell realtors on HGTV…remove your feelings from the equation!
1. OdorsDream houses don’t smell! Our sense of smell is very strong. House odors are number one on the home selling uh-oh list. And narrowing it down, odors from cigarette smoke and pets take top billing, with mildew not far behind.
If you smoke indoors—the house smells like cigarettes. If you have pets, the house might smell bad—even if you don't notice it. Ask someone who doesn't live there to take a sniff, and don't get angry when they tell you the truth.
Get rid of the odors so that you can present potential buyers with a clean, fresh atmosphere—not a house that's full of perfumes and deodorizers to cover up the odors. Seriously…overdoing the air fresheners can make potential buyers suspicious of other things you might be hiding.
And, can anyone say litter boxes??? Yuck…do you really not smell that anymore? Did you have small puppies at one time? Did you even think to replace the carpet or have it professionally cleaned after the house-breaking duties were concluded?
Can you imagine walking into a beautiful home only to turn around after catching the first whiff? I have…it was a beautiful, well-appointed, perfect house for us until we got to the family room, and the stench from the urine on the carpet was unbelievable. It was so bad that it made us wonder what else was hiding in that house that we couldn’t see or smell. We turned around and crossed it off our list without any more discussion. Pet odors, mildew, strong cooking smells, cigarette smoke can be the strongest odor offenders.
Another thing…take away even the signs of smoking–think about it…do you really think of an ashtray as an accent piece? Really? Smoking is one of those things that can really evoke a negative response with potential buyers. The smell is problem enough, but did you know that the active culture in a nicotine stain on your wall means that these stains will actually grow over time? Yuck… If you want to hang on to thousands of your hard-earned dollars when it comes time to sell then give some serious thought to kicking the habit and having all signs of smoking in your home vanish.
Also, do you really need piles of laundry as a part of your décor? When an agent brings a potential buyer through your home, the sights and smells of old dirty laundry are a another great way to turn off buyers.
You may think we’re being picky, but you do want to sell your home, right? These are definitely things to think about. A house that smells doesn't' sell - it's that simple.
2. PetsPets can influence the sale of your home. Dogs frighten some people and irritate others. You'll have a much better response from showings if you control your pets—dogs, cats, whatever.
You say you plan to put them in a bedroom or garage and then ask people not to open the door to that area? Are you kidding me? Would you buy a house you can't inspect? Of course not.
So…remove your furry friends during showings if possible. If you can't, contain them in crates for their own safety and to show respect for the feelings of potential buyers.
Also, when you're trying to sell your home, Mr. Pit Bull or Mr. Rottweiler may make potential buyers skip your home.
When you are selling your home, it's often best to take the pets with you while your home is being shown, leave the animals with friends or family while your home is on the market, or put Fido in a cage in the basement.
3. Dirty BathroomsGreat kitchens and bathrooms can make the sale for you. Grimy bathrooms are an instant turnoff. Not only does a dirty bathroom smell bad, it hints at a basic lack of cleanliness about the entire house. Scrub them, paint them, buy a new shower curtain, rugs and towels—do what it takes to make them shine. If you're serious about selling the home, the extra work is a must.
And carpeted bathrooms are just plain wrong on so many levels. The bathroom is a moist humid place with, well…a toilet. Having a carpet in your bathroom is like having a giant Petri dish growing goodness only knows what. Get rid of it.
4. Dimly Lit RoomsDark homes are a turnoff to most home buyers, so try to brighten them up:
- Replace dim light fixtures
- Install additional light fixtures
- Install (quality) sun tunnels or skylights
- Remove heavy drapes to let the light stream through windows
- Repaint some rooms with colors that reflect light
- Trim tree limbs that shadow the house
Dirty and fogged windows are another buyer turnoff. Clean them inside and out to bring in more light. If possible, replace any double-pane windows with broken seals. You can find them by looking for a foggy residue that cannot be removed.
5. A House Full of Busy Wallpaper, Outdated furniture and decorations
Busy wallpaper, dated or too bold wallpaper in every room turns off most buyers, and even people who love wallpaper rarely like what you've chosen. It's a personal decorative touch that they want to select themselves.
It is the masses you must appeal to when you're selling a home, so take a hard look at your wallpaper and decide if it should be removed and replaced with paint. Please don't paint over it, because it will be obvious that you did—and buyers know that makes removing it even more difficult.
You may love the flowery wallpaper and pink carpeting, but it's unlikely that the new buyer of your home will. Most buyers understand that they'll redecorate after they buy your home, but strange colors and ugly appliances or furniture and bizarre wall hangings can certainly be a turnoff. Rooms overstuffed with clutter can also make it hard for a buyer to imagine the home without "all the stuff"
A few years back ‘oversized’ was the trendy new style for furnishings. The problem with oversized pieces is that they can make even a spacious room feel cramped. Sofas on steroids, dominating entertainment stands and, yes guys, that massive TV taking up half the room—these are all things that make your space feel small, and space is one of the main things that buyers are looking for. So do yourself a favor and remove some of these gigantic pieces of furniture before you list.
6. Damp Basements
Dampness or damp smells in the basement throw up a red flag to buyers that the foundation leaks! Duh! There are some people who only want to view homes after a big rainstorm to make sure that the basements do not get wet.
Most problems we see are not caused by faulty foundations. They occur because rainwater is being diverted towards the foundation instead of away from it. And this is caused by…
- Clogged underground drains
- No rain gutters along roofline
- Downspouts aimed the wrong way
Get off your sofa the next time it trains. Go outside and determine where runoff water is going. It may be the best thing you ever did for your house.
If you get water in your basement, get your foundation inspected for damage. You may also need to install a dehumidifier or sump pump.
7. Bugs
Roaches, spiders, any insect that shouldn't be in the house. Alive or dead! Get rid of them. Get rid of cobwebs too…buyers always seem to look up!
People living in dream homes don't need to put out mouse traps or roach bait. Make sure that any pest control items are well out of sight when you're showing a house to avoid any hint that there's a pest problem in your house.
8. Poor Curb Appeal
You must grab a buyer's interest from the curb if you want to sell the home for top dollar. Home buyers often refuse to go into a house with an unkempt yard, sagging doors or peeling paint. You say you can't afford to paint? Okay, but get that yard in tip-top shape and grab a screwdriver to fix those doors.
Stand on the edge of the street and look at the house on either side of yours, then look at the house across the street. You're looking for landscaping and general appeal as someone would see from their car. Most people want to drive by a property first. Will the outside make them want to look at the inside?
Yours should be as good as or better than those around you, if you want a fast sale at top market price.
Is your driveway greasy or cracked? Does your house need painting? Sometimes just painting the fascia and trim will do the trick, or renting a power washer to clean it up. Add some bright flowers to the landscaping. From what we’ve read… red, white and yellow blooms are the favorites. If the landscaping is in bad condition, it may be time to replace it.
9. Gutters with Plants Growing in Them
I'm serious. Some people never clean their gutters, and it always makes buyers wonder what else hasn't been maintained.
Remember the drainage issue in #6? Cleaning packed gutters might help.
10. Sellers Who Hang Around for Showings
Yes, you... please leave the house during showings. Home buyers feel awkward about opening closet doors and lingering for a really good look at the house if the seller is home.
If you're selling by owner, give them some space, don't hover. One of the hardest things to learn is how to open the door to buyers— and walk away. Really…they’re not here as your guest or to take the grand tour—they're here to explore the idea that this could be the house for them. Introduce yourself, show your buyers in—and let them know where they can find you if they have questions. Then step away and let them wander through the rooms on their own.
Few buyers are comfortable opening closets or examining features if the current owner is hovering over their shoulder
11.Peeling Paint
Even a few patches of peeling paint make a house look sad and neglected. And, it makes an otherwise sound home look like it's falling apart. If you can’t be bothered to fix that, what else is hiding in this house?
12. Water-stained ceilings
These stains aren't always caused by a busted water pipe or leaky roof, but their presence alone is enough to raise a buyer's suspicions.
In conclusion…
Most of these problems can be corrected without spending a lot of money. Do it now, before you put the house on the market, because if your house develops a reputation among agents as the house that smells, the house with the huge barking dog or the house where the owner won't leave people alone, it will be too late. Your house will be last on their list to show potential buyers.
Selling your home can be a stressful time, but you can be successful in selling your home if you remain patient, reasonable and flexible. There are buyers out there and the key is to find them and get them to fall in love with your home.
Sources:
mylangleyrealestate.com/value-of-your-home
kw-real-estate.com/Buyer-tips/index.htm
empireteam.com/buyer_turnoffs.php
homebuying.about.com/od/howtosellahome/a/buyer_peeves.htm
yourhome.ca/homes/article/618464
realestateabc.com/insights/sell-your-home.htm
frugalrealestate.com/
anitarozenblat.blogspot.com/2009/05/dont-turn-off-buyer-by-anita-rozenblat.html
activerain.com/blogsview/730136/5-surefire-ways-to-turn-off-a-buyer
massrealestatevoice.com/post/738866/5-surefire-ways-to-turn-off-a-buyer
homebuying.about.com/od/howtosellahome/a/buyer_peeves.htm
videojug.com/interview/seller-strategies-for-a-slower-housing-market-2
buy-and-sell-house-fast.com/sell-house/for-sale-by-owner.shtml
articles.smashits.com/articles/writing/167708/10-reasons-a-home-buyer-will-never-buy-your-house.html
Karen Mc Connaughey: Operations Manager for FocusOnMexico .
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