Most buyers will find something in your home to criticize but if you want to bring out the best in your home -- and the best offers -- then consider the tips below.
Eliminate odors
Even when your home is spruced up, staged and clutter-free, nothing will turn away buyers quicker than stinky odors. Cigarette and pet odors create concerns that the smells might be permanent and can't be eliminated without dropping some serious cash on cleaning, painting and new floor coverings. Do not ignore the problems. And do not assume that because you had the carpet shampooed or the drapes cleaned, or because you can't smell anything, that the problem is gone.
Opt out of overpricing
When a home is glaringly overpriced, serious buyers will not darken your door. Overpriced homes don't sell until after they've had drastic price cuts or have been on the market so long that buyers begin to smell desperation and start making lowball offers. If you want your home to stand out as a property that presents a good value for the money, then remove your emotions, accept realistic expectations, and concentrate on the data or end up with an overpriced listing that lingers on the market. Don't ever forget that new homes come on the market every day making it easy for buyers to say "bye-bye" to yours.
Fix it!
House hunters will flip light and fan switches, open window coverings, drawers, doors, cabinets, and gates. They'll flush toilets, run the shower, and wiggle the handrails as they walk up and down the stairs. They will look for leaky faucets, point out water spots from long-ago repaired leaks, and analyze cracks in foundations, ceilings and walkways. Admittedly these are minor issues, but if they add up, buyers will often jump to the conclusion that the whole place is rickety so go ahead and take care of these little problems before you put your home
on the market.
For answers to your real estate questions, contact Leslie Ramsey with Hot Springs 1st Choice Realty at 501-620-3909 or email her at [email protected]