There was a time that homes would sell within several hours with very little effort. These days and in most markets, it takes hard work to get your home SOLD. Even the most meticulously maintained home will require some preparation before listing it. A ton of money doesn’t necessarily need to be spent, but there are a few things to be cognizant of that may turn a potential buyer away. Below are some of the biggest home buyer turnoffs and ways to address them.
1. The most common criticism of a home that buyers will proclaim is that the home feels too “dated.” There are several variables that make a home feel this way. Even if your home was built in the 1970’s, it shouldn’t feel that it stayed in the 70’s. Wallpaper, light fixtures, kitchen counter-tops, and more are the most common tell tales. Furniture also can make the home feel older than it might actually be. As a seller, it may be wise to strip the wallpaper and update the light fixtures. Older furniture can also be swapped out or put in storage.
2. Another common buyer turnoff is the lack of space or rather abundance of clutter. The longer you’ve lived in a home, the more natural it is to have accumulated “things,” along the way. My four bedroom home once started out with only a master bedroom and a guest room filled with furniture. I now have a master bedroom, guest room with an additional desk and armchair, a nursery complete with twin bed, dresser, arm chair, and changing table, and a home office with desk, child’s kitchen set, a random dresser, and yet another arm chair. The more filled your home is with extra furniture and “stuff,” the more the typical buyer will lose interest. I always recommend to sellers to thin out their homes and either put stuff in storage or get rid of things. If you’re not going to move it into the new house; move it, sell it, donate it, or trash it!
3. Some buyers won’t even want to step foot into a home that looks or feels dirty. A buyer’s evaluation of “dirtiness” starts on the outside as soon as they begin their approach to the home. It could be equated to how the yard is maintained, the home’s siding, wood trim, and then carry inward to the home.
The inconvenient part of selling is that a showing can be sprung on you with just a moment’s notice. It’s important to have clothes in the hamper, dishes washed, and daily toiletries hidden. When your home is for sale it needs to look the best and cleanest that it’s ever looked!
4. One of the last biggest turnoffs for a home-buyer is concerning odors. Purchasers tend to have a keen sense of smell when they first walk into a home. Psychological studies would show that smell, more so than any other senses, have a strong correlation to one’s memory. A bad smell can immediately recall negative memories. Or a smell that the seller has become accustomed to can simply be repulsive to somebody else. Many of today’s buyers have significant allergies to dogs, cats, smoke, and other items around the home. The odor of the house may immediately turn away a prospective buyer. If you have older carpet (or furniture) that carries a smell, replace it with new. If you have newer carpet, at least get it shampooed and cleaned. Also consideration for some sort of HVAC air clean out to circulate fresh air may be wise. Candles and incense won’t mask the smells so look for options to clean or replace instead.
When your house is listed for sale, it’ll be put under a microscope. People will scrutinize every inch of the home. Knowing some of the most common turn offs for an average home-buyer will better equip your home to compete with all the other homes on the market. These are just a few of the common ones that can easily be rectified with minimal expense. Take a careful look at your home and/or request the services of a professional to help evaluate conditions. Feel free to share some of your biggest turn offs in the comments below.
By Tommy Sibiga on Homes.com
