Did you know you might have devalued your house when you tried to make it more beautiful?
The real estate market has a limited inventory and buyers do have a clear upper hand. As there are more homes available on the market than people buying, you need to do all that you can to make the house as attractive as possible.
In so many situations, the perception of the buyer is what influences the sale the most. If the buyer likes what he/she sees, an offer might be made. If not, the buyer goes somewhere else.
If you want to list the home for sale, here are some factors that automatically devalue the house. This might lead to some important changes to make.
A Lack Of Curb Appeal
The front part of the house is the very first thing a person sees. You always want to live in a home that looks great. This is also true for the exterior.
If the landscape is poorly kept, does not exist or is overgrown, the buyer will be turned off.
Homeowners often feel overwhelmed when they think about doing landscape work. This is completely normal. However, something as simple as planning some annuals, weeding flowerbeds and cutting the grass can do wonders to increase curb appeal.
We should also add that house exteriors can also put off potential buyers. Dirty windows, faded paint, chipped pain, busted sidewalks and broken railings always devalue houses.
It is normal to think about the fact that the interior is neglected when the exterior is neglected. When you want to sell the home, be sure that you wash windows, repair walkway issues and use a fresh coat of paint.
Outdated Kitchens
A kitchen can easily make or break a sales deal. People that walk into the kitchen need to instantly love it. This does not happen in the event the kitchen is outdated.
You can update the kitchen in 2 ways:
- Full-blown renovation – this will be expensive and will guarantee a modern, attractive kitchen.
- Budget-based renovation – something like new door pools and painting cabinets also works.
Outdated Bathrooms
The bathroom is really important for the way in which the house is seen by buyers. They always want baths that are updated, just like the kitchens. When you can fully renovate a bathroom, the expected return is 80%.
When your budget does not allow it, smaller changes should still be made. You can add some new fixtures, tile the floor or just add new lighting fixtures.
No matter how the space is updated, the buyer needs to see a bathroom that is fresh smelling, nicely decorated and clean.
Taste Specific Decorations
When it comes to home decorations, taste is really subjective. The things that you really love might be hated by buyers.
A buyer wants to see himself/herself living in the house. When decorations are taste specific, this simply does not happen.
If buyers see decorations they do not like, they instantly think about how much it costs to make fixes like carpeting or removing paneling. The asking price would thus be lower.
In a similar way, design specific renovations are also bad. For instance, if the kitchen is ultra-modern, it might actually stop some potential buyers from making an offer.
Pets
There is nothing wrong with having a pet as this marks a wonderful addition to a home. However, when you want to sell, pets can be a problem.
All this is due to the damage that might have appeared on carpeting, woodwork and walls.
Make sure pets are not at home when buyers visit and try to remove signs that they were present in the first place. This means you have to clean carpets to remove pet odors and clean/repair areas that were clearly damaged by animals.
Water Features
Most homeowners love the pool they built or the outdoor hut tub where they spend time to relax. They surely adore the extra waterfall they added.
The problem is that the potential buyer just sees the extra water features as extra maintenance. Also, the families that have small children can see pools as dangers.
It is not uncommon to see that buyers love every little thing about a house except a pool. This is why they request that the pool is removed or that it is filled in before the sale is closed.
