While the market is slowly turning in the favor of sellers, it is still considered a buyer’s market. And because this is true, potential buyers can afford to be picky when it comes to considering a house. Our REALTORS® present to you the top five things that chase buyers away:
1). Odors
If you’re a smoker, not to worry, just stop smoking in the house for the duration of the selling process. Open the windows and let natural air flow throughout the house for a good 24 hours. Invest in fabric or upholstery cleansers and thoughtfully place subtly scented reed diffusers throughout the house. The goal is to cancel out any strong odors. But be careful–if you go too heavy on the air freshener scent, this will turn buyers off as well.
2). Messy and unorganized rooms
Buyers view a house with the sole purpose of envisioning themselves living there. Before having a showing or an open house, tidy up each room. Place loose papers in a closeable bin, and neatly store in a closet. Run the vacuum cleaner over heavy traffic areas (e.g. family room, living room and bedrooms). Your goal is for each room to look refreshed and un-lived in (as much as possible), for buyers to go in with a clean slate.
3). Crazy paint colors
While you might think your sense of style is modern and daring, most buyers will find it shocking and distracting. If you are truly serious about selling your home, repaint with neutral or earth colors. You want each room to be warm and inviting.
4). Wallpaper
A good way to date your home is out-of-style wallpaper. Unlike paint, wallpaper has a more involved removal process. While having a few rooms with wallpaper isn’t an immediate turnoff, it is a personal design choice, and some buyers may not have the same taste.
5). Poor landscaping and curb appeal
The first thing buyers see is the exterior of the house. They look at the quality of the lawn, what types of plants they can grow and how your house looks in comparison to others in the neighborhood. Just like the interior, the outside needs to be well kept. Mow the lawn before a showing and clean your garden, daily, to pull any weeds or other undesirables, so your yard will appear neat and effortless.
Each buyer has unique and personal tastes; coincidentally, so does every seller. Saying goodbye to your home can be very emotional—understandably so! Try not to take potential buyer’s criticism too harshly, as they don’t have the same emotional memories to the house as you do. Our REALTORS® are with you every step of the way, to make the transition out of your home as effortless as possible.
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