The Five Biggest Turn-Offs For Homebuyers
A lot of sellers don't listen to their real estate agents, so I'm just going to be blunt and hopefully help your agents out, and help the process of selling your home go smooth. First of all, your agent can't get you the price you want unless your home is in pristine move-in condition. That means no sticking drawers in the kitchen. No leaning fences. No rust-stained plumbing fixtures. I could go on, but maybe I need to make it clear. If you have even one of the following "turn-offs," your home won't sell.
Buyers can get instantly turned off. Here are their five biggest turn-offs:
Overpricing Your Home
Overpricing your home is like trying to crash the country club without a membership. You'll be found out and escorted out. If you ignored your agent's advice and listed at a higher price than recommended, you're going to get some negative feedback from buyers. The worst feedback, of course, is silence. That could include no showings and no offers. The problem with overpricing your home is that the buyers who are qualified to buy your home won't see it because they're shopping in a lower price range. The buyers who do will quickly realize that there are other homes in the same price range that offer more value.
Smells
Smells can come from a number of sources: pets, lack of cleanliness, stale air, water damage, and much more. You may not even notice it, but your real estate agent may have hinted to you that something needs to be done. There's not a buyer in the world that will buy a home that smells unless they're investors looking for a bargain. Even so, they'll get a forensic inspection to find out the source of the smells. If they find anything like undisclosed water damage, or pet urine under the "new" carpet, then they will either severely discount their offer or walk away.
Clutter
If your tables are full to the edge with photos, figurines, mail, and drinking glasses, buyers' attention is going to be more focused on running the gauntlet of your living room without breaking any hummels rather than considering your home for purchase. Too much furniture confuses the eye and it makes it really difficult for buyers to see the proportions of rooms. If they can't see what they need to know, they move on to the next home.
Deferred Maintenance
Deferred maintenance is a polite euphemism for letting your home fall apart. Just like people age due to the effects of the sun, wind, and gravity, so do structures like your home. Things wear out, break, and weather, and it's your job as a homeowner to keep your home repaired. Your buyers really want a home that's been well-maintained. They don't want to wonder what needs to be fixed next or how much it will cost.
Dated Decor
The reason people are looking at your home instead of buying brand new is because of cost and location. They want your neighborhood, but that doesn't mean they want a dated-looking home. Just like they want a home in good repair, they want a home that looks updated, even if it's from a different era. Harvest gold and avocado green from the 70's; soft blues and mauves from the 80's, jewel tones from the 90's, and onyx and pewter from the oughts are all colorways that can date your home. When you're behind the times, buyers don't want to join you. They want to be perceived as savvy and cool.
In conclusion, the market is a brutal mirror. If you're guilty of not putting money into your home because you believe it's an investment that others should pay you to profit, you're in for a rude awakening. You'll be stuck with an asset that isn't selling.
