How to Turn Buyers Off From Buying Your Home

I recently read an article that talked about the top ten things that turn buyers off from buying a home. while I agree with the list I do not believe it is 100% accurate in some of the biggest turnoffs. So, I have compiled a list from my experiences with buyers that tend to turn them off from buying your house. 1. Curb appeal. If the house is not somewhat appealing to the eye; most buyers will not get inside the front door. I cannot tell you how many times I have had buyers tell me they do not like the look of the house from the outside and would not even go and look at the house inside. As we are in the spring market; make sure your home has a nice curb appeal. The yard is freshly cut, flowers with a variety of colors are blooming, and the home is power washed will all help with the curb appeal of the house and invite buyers inside. 2. Cleanliness. This hit number one on their list. Nothing turns a buyer off more than a dirty house. While some buyers will look past the dirt; most will not. And even if they do look past the dirt they are going to be looking for a huge discount on the price. The perception is that if the home is dirty; then the seller is not taking care of the maintenance of the house. 3. Smells. When someone comes to view your home you want to ensure it is inviting to them on the outside. Then when they get inside the house you want to make sure the house has a fresh clean smell to it. I recommend using candles and air fresheners to attract buyers to the house. Baking is another great thing to do since it gives the home a warm feeling when someone walks in. people buy with all their senses. Do not rule out the power of smell. 4. Outdated interior. Yes, the interior of a home can have a dramatic impact on a buyer. Just because you liked certain colors on walls and carpeting that was popular back in the 70's and 80's does not mean the new home owner is going to want that. I have had more people walk away from a house because of the dated interior of the house than any other reason (when all else fit their criteria). Most people are scrambling to save enough for a down payment today and want to be able to move into a home without doing much; if any, work. if your home is dated prepare to sell your home for substantially lower and it will sit longer than one that is not dated. 5. Personal items. Remove the personal items from your home. It is okay to have one or two photos up on the walls. but no one wants to walk in to a home and see all the children's wedding photos and grandchildren photos all over the place. It takes away from them actually looking at the house and fixates them on you.... 6. Clutter. This for me is the number one thing a seller can do. De clutter a house. Remove and put in the garage or in storage anything that you do not absolutely need. The less the better. You want the home to look open, airy and large. You do not want the buyers to be walking around thinking rooms are small because there is so many items out. De cluttering is one of the biggest things a seller can do that costs them no money (unless you need a storage facility). 7. Making your home inaccessible. Yes, i know it is not always easy to have your home available to be shown because of work, kids and pets. However; limiting the time it can be shown will definitely hinder your prospect of getting it sold. if it is not available when the buyer wants to see it then you have lost that buyer....Most of the buyers I have worked with said okay let's move on to the next home and they have discarded that home from the list because of showing restrictions. Doing these things will not guarantee your home will sell...however; it will help enhance the prospect of it being sold. There is still a lot of homes to choose from out there and you need any edge you can get to help your home sell...following these seven easy steps can help in getting your home sold more quickly. Dave dicecco Realtor/Broker www.davedicecco.com