Is it time to finally sell your house so that you can move into something that’s a little more spacious, stylish, or convenient for your family? Deciding to sell is often an emotional and exciting thing. You’re saying goodbye to a place that was home to so many memories, while embarking on a new adventure that promises to be even better. But if you’ve never sold a home before, you’ve got some stuff to learn.
As you know from your own experience, buyers are picky. Even the smallest thing can prevent someone from putting in an offer. And while it’s impossible to make your house perfect, there are some things you can do to encourage prospective buyers.
Every buyer is different. Each has his or her own unique tastes and needs. One person might like the fact that you have red paint throughout the home, while another might think it’s tacky. One buyer may prefer an open layout, while another might like the privacy that comes with lots of doors and partitioned rooms. However, despite all of these nuances, there are certain things that all buyers hate.
There’s something interesting about smell. The longer you’re surrounded by a smell, the less you notice it. Over time, your nose becomes accustomed to the smell – good or bad – and you become oblivious to it.
The problem is that smell is one of the first things a prospective buyer notices upon entering your home. If your house has rotten food, animal odors, smelly AC, stinky carpets, or an overall mustiness, buyers will be turned off.
The same goes for stains. Carpet stains, ceiling stains, wall stains – no matter where the mark is or what originally caused it, people are going to have questions. Stains indicate that something unsavory has happened in the past and most buyers won’t like that.
Cosmetic issues are just that – cosmetic – but that doesn’t mean things like tacky wallpaper, odd paint colors, outdated hardware, and mismatched furniture don’t have an impact on how prospective buyers see your home. Sure, they can change things, but it’s still hard for them to mentally put your dated décor out of their minds.
There’s a reason high-end sellers often stage a home when putting it on the market. It isn’t always because they have bad style. In many cases, it’s because they have too much clutter. Staging makes everything look clean and simple.
Clutter and disorganization are huge turn-offs for most buyers. You may like all of your little knickknacks and decorations, but they’re just noise to other people. Go ahead and pack up the non-essential items and only leave the basics. This allows people to imagine their own stuff in your house.
Let’s be honest, nobody likes popcorn ceilings. While it’s not impossible to sell a house with popcorn ceilings, it does turn people away. Most buyers with modern style are going to want to refinish them – and that takes a lot of time and money. It’s also a huge mess. Furthermore, there’s always the risk of asbestos. If you’re in a tough market, having your ceiling inspected and then sanded down might be a smart idea.
Lighting is important to most buyers. Nobody wants to live in a dark, dingy house without the presence of natural light. Dark rooms also look a lot smaller, which hurts the overall impression people have of the home.
When showing your house, make sure curtains and drapes aren’t blocking the windows. You should also make sure all lamps and overhead light fixtures have warm lighting, not the harsh white light that some of today’s newer LED bulbs give off.
Most people like pets. Having said that, very few buyers are excited by the presence of pets in a home they’re getting ready to buy. We all know what pets do to a home – from urinating on carpet to shedding – and would prefer not to buy a house that’s been tarnished by dogs, cats, and other critters.
While you don’t want to lie to prospective buyers and tell them that you don’t have pets, it’s a good idea to remove dog bowls, cages, and pets when showing the house.
Think back to when you were in high school and you wanted to go out with your friends on the weekend. Was your mom one of those parents who always lurked behind you or stuck around for too long after dropping you off? Don’t be that kind of seller.
If there’s one thing buyers hate, it’s a seller who’s too involved in the process. There’s a reason agents exist – to handle all of the details. During a showing, you should never be present in the house. If you are, then you risk overwhelming homebuyers and turning them away prematurely.
When you sell your Houston home, you’re typically required to give 6 percent of the sales price to the agents involved in the transaction – 3 percent to the selling agent and 3 percent to the buying agent. This means that you can expect to pay $30,000 in commission on a $500,000 house.
At Green Residential, we think 6 percent is too much for you to give away. That’s why we operate on a flat rate. While the buyer’s agent will still get their 3 percent, we only take a set amount. Using the previous example, we could save you $4,000 on the sale of a $500,000 home. That’s $4,000 that could be put towards your next home, a vacation, a new car, or anything else you see fit.
If you’re interested in learning more about our flat rate and how Green Residential can help sell your home quickly and efficiently, please contact us today.
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