What makes a home stand out to prospective buyers?

1/19/2008 at 1:41:01 AM

Sometimes the best way to stand out is to only give them the layout to think about, not what has to be repaired.

I remember one house my wife and I looked at, it seemed perfect on paper, right price, size, bedrooms, etc. When the Realtor had to use his shoulder to assist in opening the front door, it brought to mind, hmmm, what else is wrong. All I could do was find every squeak in the floor, every loose this and broken that.

So, be sure to walk through your home before you sell it and fix/tighten every broken or loose thing you can find as one thing draws the attention of the other and it is a snowball.

If you can't do it yourself, then hire a Handyman to do the work for you; spending a couple hundred on this type of work will earn you thousands more when selling your home. It will likely help you stand out too, simply because the perspective buyers will be able to focus on what was right in the home, instead of what is wrong with it.

2/2/2008 at 12:13:22 PM

I searched for a house for about 1-1/2 years and what stood out to me is cleanliness. Or, lack there of.

You wouldn't believe how many times I saw messy yards, toys astrew, cat litter across the floor, musty smells, etc.!

People who took the time to put a fresh coat of paint and clean up -- are the homes I spent more than 10 minutes looking at. If you eliminate what we are not buying and let us see what we are buying, purchasers will remember your house.

It may help to have a few friends or relatives take a walk through your home when you are done to see what you may have missed.

Good luck.

4/1/2008 at 9:42:57 AM

Hi Amanda!

You have to remember that the prospective buyer is looking for a house that is ready to live in it, they are not thinking renos or potentials most likely. With that in mind, I would say cleanliness is huge, fresh coat of paint in a neutral color (int specially), nice simple landscaping, clean yard with fresh cut lawn (a good trick is to apply liquid fertilizer to make it look greener), dont saturate the house with decorations, just something simple......remember you want your buyers to picture themselves living in that house.

Hope this helps!

4/16/2008 at 10:25:23 AM

I would say that aside from price and location, prospective buyers are also interested in a house that is livable. Moreover, when a house which is for sale requires a lot of renovations, this becomes a drawback for the prospective buyer.

4/19/2008 at 12:01:39 AM

The very thing you SHOULD NOT do is to beg. That makes you look desperate, and makes your house sell for less. Touch up on the presentation and first impression, i.e. no cracked paint, etc. People notice those little things. Good luck!

4/19/2008 at 2:47:31 PM

One thing that not enough people do is just clean up and do all the minor repairs that may have been put off in the past. It doesn't cost much at all (or sometimes anything) but the first impression of the house's cleanliness and having functional doors, cupboards, etc. will go a long way toward upping your house's value on the market.

4/23/2008 at 12:39:08 PM

Hi Amanda,

I can not stress this enough......Cleanliness!!!! Spottless kitchen and bathrooms are vital. No one can picture themselves living in a dirty, messy or cluttered home. When a potential buyer enters a home, they do not want a constant reminder that someone else lives there so remove as much clutter and personal items as possible including photos. You want to assist the buyer to picture themselves and their own belongings in the home. Pack up most if not all personal items leaving simple artwork and selected knick knacks. Try to minimalize oversized furniture which may make rooms appear small. Avoid cooking smelly foods and maybe invest in some air fresheners as well......smells affect many homebuyers! As several others have mentioned, a fresh coat of neutral paint can update a home so drastically. Imagine if you will entering a model home from a builder. The homes are simply decorated most often with neutral colours that appeal to the majority of people. Fix anything obvious as most people are looking for a move-in condition home. Those seeking a fixer-upper usually present offers accordingly. If you keep your home clean and tidy and your price is right, your home will sell. Good Luck!

Traci Levy

5/8/2008 at 1:32:44 AM

Fully agree with "Arrow Contracting" good advise there. Just wanted to add have all your lights on during a viewing and if possible have mini brochure showing your home . The layout with measurements and pics, helps them remember your property. BIG, Big point to have it all extremely clean like between windows and the out side, air fresheners can set the mood. Just think of those times walking past the bakery same idea here. Clean fresh is the big ticket, we flip homes on the side and we've had people return with offers and state the clean fresh atmosphere made the difference.

Marian Fill

5/27/2008 at 10:38:19 AM

Thanks for the great tips i will be using them as i am trying to sell my home this thread has been a great read!.

6/6/2008 at 2:45:55 AM

If your looking to get people in the door for a view the first thing to do is the exteriors with new siding, garage door, gutters and windows. If it looks sharp they will go in! if it looks like crap they will not even view it. Lets say you did $40,000.00 of reno work inside but the doors need to be changed or the old siding is faded do you think they know what the inside looks like. OK maybe you have great rooms, Kitchen, bathroom, family room, master bedroom. but they have to like the what they are going to buy! If it is going to cost them a lot of money to fix the outside of the house they will pass you bye! For an extra $10,000 you can get a lot of that problem taken care of and you could raise the price of your home at least three times that little investment. If you could get an extra $20,000 on your home it would be worth it. I have seen agents tell people to put a little paint and polish before and your house will be on the market for a long time! Trust an expert in exteriors to help you you will not regret it!

8/9/2008 at 8:49:35 PM

As the cliche goes, people tend to judge a book by its cover, so it is good to give your house a good sprucing up and reduce clutter in your house before putting in up in the market.

11/14/2011 at 11:18:15 AM

Proper preparation, smart upgrades and professional showcasing (staging) make homes stand out to prospective buyers.

Consulting with a professional home stager who will create a customized PLAN for your home to maximize its appeal to buyers is an important step for all sellers. Staged homes sell up to 89% faster than unstaged properties and professional showcasing ensures that the most buyers possible see the value and potential in your home.

Buyers will be make concessions on price point, location and important items on their 'must have' list when they fall in love with a home.

Warmly,

Heather Cook

Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design Inc.