You've listed your property. You've spent your evenings after work and weekends with people traipsing through your home. You've done everything you can possibly think of and your Charlotte NC real estate is still sitting on the market while others around you are selling. Why isn't your home selling?
You've cleaned your home—you think. Let's examine a few areas that many people tend to overlook:
· Have you de-cluttered? Make your home look as spacious as you possibly can. Collectibles and family items are simply not appealing to buyers--you don't want to distract them and you DO want them to be able to envision their own belongings in your home. Too many of your 'things' make them feel as though they are intruding.
· Have you stuffed all of your “stuff” in cabinets thinking no one will be bold enough to open cabinets and look inside? In fact, most buyers DO open drawers and cabinets, and will definitely look in your closets. So, don't stash all your stuff in the closets. Besides being untidy, it is likely that overstuffed closets will fall out in an avalanche when an unsuspecting buyer happens to take a peek. My recommendation: You're getting ready to move anyway, why not pack it away NOW?
· Are the dirty dishes stacked up, clothes in the laundry baskets, or used towels all over the bathroom? Just because you have to live in your Charlotte NC real estate until you sell it doesn't mean it looks good to your buyers. The 'lived in' look only makes your home look comfortable when friends and family visit, not prospective buyers.
· Does your loving pet adore your visitors? Even the most well-behaved dog or cat may be a distraction. Not everybody is a pet lover, and even if they are, they don't want to have to deal with your pets while viewing a home. Keep your dogs and cats in their crates when buyers come to see your Charlotte NC real estate listing or better yet, if you're able to do so, take them with you during the showing.
· Is the lawn mower sitting on the patio, the pool skimmer lying on the lawn; are the kid's bikes piled up in the driveway? The inside of your home isn't the only place that shouldn't look 'lived in' when you are showing your home to the public. Again, pack it up or tuck it away neatly.
Little things do mean a lot. Don't let those little nail holes, stray wires from a removed fixture, or coffee stains on the carpet go unheeded. Your buyer is not going to want to fix those things when they move in, especially not in this economy when a good number of home buyers are looking for pristine, move-in-ready homes for sale in Charlotte NC. And, it makes potential buyers think that if minor repairs haven't been taken care of, most likely, major repairs have been let go also. Take the time to do minor home fix ups and make your house look as inviting as possible.
If you'd like more tips like this, subscribe to my blog! Want to view other listings in your own neighborhood? Visit Charlotte NC Real Estate - Click on Advanced Search and complete the neighborhood section with your neighborhood, then 'search.' You'll now have a list of all of the homes in your neighborhood that are listed in MLS and will be able to compare them online.
TO THE POINT and advice every home owner should read and heed.
I showed a home last week that had a hand written note on every closet- "Do not open our closets, we DO still live here"
Hmmmm, not really feeling the warm and fuzzy's here!
I enjoy traipsing through your wonderful posts, Debe ;-) And this one is more than diplomatic for sellers...very clear and no one can argue with it. Excellent way to educate, and get property that is Charlotte NC real estate SOLD!
Debe, I do believe seller are too close to the property to see the proverbial trees for the woods, they have lived with items many would find unacceptable but have lost sight of obvious clutter. Good Points to ponder.
As I was reading your post I was thinking - little things mean a lot. Now I don't know if "I saw that before of I thought that". I prefer to think that great minds think alike. Great advice, as usual!
Great post... I hit this subject first on listing appointments, it's the harshest but needs to be said.
You are SOOOO right..the little things mean alot,and in most cases, don't cost a seller a penny!
Debe...I completely agree with all of your points...I don't believe in portraying God as a marketing tool, because He is not...But we also pray for His sovereign will to be unfolded in the process...People are required to bend, to re-think, to change behaviors, and of course, make sure the little steps are done...Cherise
What a great post, Debe! I always tell sellers that they need to make their home look like a model (as nearly as possible). Buyers need to feel like nobody lives there....and when sellers DO live there, that is a sick and twisted way to live....but if they want to sell it in a timely fashion, a little "sick and twisted" won't kill them.
Debe - I showed this home yesterday that was a total disaster. The house had nice bones. The owners put a lot of money into upgrades. Fixtures, Flooring, Kitchen, etc. It had been on the market for 3 months which is crazy because its a entry level home and they are moving in only 30-45 days if priced right and staged nicely. The agent never had the de-cluttering conversation with his clients. You know it's a big commitment to homeowners to put their homes up for sale. Some of them just don't realize it, or they don't get educated on the importance of staging the home correctly.
How about.... have you priced it right and picked a professional Realtor to work with?:)
I actually am selling an estate home that I need to go in and declutter, great house, great shape, but it needs declutting to show well
Debe, dead on with the advice! We repeat - selling your home IS not the same as when you live in it! But that model image is so important! Spend the couple hundred dollars and have it professionally cleaned! It's money so well spent...
In any market these are important considerations but NOW more than ever. I have several new listings about to go on the market and have been surprised at the resistance to my suggestions to DE-CLUTTER. Although we are not experiencing the same type of market as you it is still very competitive in Austin and along with correct pricing a home has to look it's very best!
Hey can you lend us some inventory!!
Sellers need to stay ahead of the market and do what you suggest (as well as aggressive pricing/reductions) to avoid stagnation of the listing!