Straight Talk About Real Estate

With fewer buyers in the market to buy homes, and more homes on the market for sale, sellers have to compete for a buyer’s attention. The first impression from the street makes a huge difference. I have had buyers refuse to go inside to see a house because they do not like the outside.

Here are three simple things to do to add curb appeal:

1. Put some seasonal blooming flowers in pots. Leaving them in pots allows you to move them around and place them in the most attractive spots. This also allows you to take them with you when you move.

2. Paint the front door. A fresh coat of paint brightens the appearance. Adding a seasonal decoration on the door would be attractive as well.

3. Clean the driveway and walkways. Remove oil stains from the driveway as much as you can and keep walkways clear of leaves, overgrown brush, and other debris.

It is now officially a buyer’s market here in the Los Angeles area as well as in all cities around the country. There are more sellers with their houses on the market than there are buyers looking to buy a house to buy.

Then how can you get your house sold?

It is not impossible to sell your house even in this environment. There will always be people who are ready, willing and able to buy. This market condition means your house has to stand out. There are 3 ways to make your house attractive to buyers.

1. Prepare your house to be in turnkey condition. This means, when a buyer looks at it, they feel they can just move in. In a seller’s market, you can get away with walls that need painting or ripped window screens. But now, buyers would not want a house that needs work unless they can get a great bargain on it. Make all necessary repairs, keep up with the landscape maintenance, and add potted flowers for curb appeal.

2. Set your price realistically based on what the market will bare. Forget about the neigbor that sold his house for $30,000 over listed price in 3 days. Treat every offer as a good offer. If an offer comes in low, do not be insulted by the price or terms. Don’t let your pride get in the way of making the deal work. Be ready to negotiate with a buyer as far as you can to make it work if possible.

3. Offer bonuses to the agent who sells the house. This will attract the attention of agents with qualified buyers. The incentive may give them an incentive to show your house.

If you need further advice on your particular situation, contact me.

Here are a few more hints to make your house inviting to buyers:

*Open your drapes and blinds to let the sun in. It makes a home cheerful. Dark houses are not appealing.

*Make the bathroom sparkle. Repair caulking in bathtubs and showers. Fix dripping faucets. Keep it sparkling clean. Display fresh towels. Bathrooms help sell the house.

*For an evening showing, turn on all the lights, even if one light is enough to see by. The warm glow gives a welcome feeling.

*Arrange each room in the house neatly. Remove excess furniture. Use attractive bedspreads in the bedrooms.

*Keep the house safety for agents and potential buyers by packing away clutter and fragile display items. Keep narrow hallways and stairways clear.

In today’s market where qualified buyers are few, sellers have to put extra effort into attracting those buyers.

Staging your house to sell is one of the most important things you can do.

Take a look at your house and think about it’s best features. What attracted you to this house when you bought it? Highlight those features by making it stand out - clean the area around it, put flowers near that area, note it on the flyer and other advertising.

Look for features that are attractive but you have not made the most of it to make your home look nice. For example, my client sealed off the fireplace in the bedroom because she did not want her small children messing with it. I asked her to take off the cardboard and move the furniture away from the fireplace to show it off. It is a desirable feature to have a fireplace in the bedroom even though it was not functional to her family.

I tell my sellers that the way you live in a house is not the way you sell it. Stage your house to show off all its positive features, even those that you do not normally use.

In the last few years, we have seen such a strong seller’s market that all it took to sell a house was to put a sign on the lawn. Actually, some houses sold even before that!

But in today’s market, the number of homes on the market has increased. Buyers have more choices. They want to get the most for their money.

In order to attract qualified buyers, sellers would be wise to prepare their house for sale. Here are a few inexpensive ways to spruce up your home without emptying your pockets.

*Make sure your kitchen looks clean and reasonably updated. Consider adding new cabinet door handles, replacing the kitchen faucet set and updating old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones.

*Coordinate your appliances. Order new doors or face panels for your kitchen appliances if they don’t match. Big secret: Many dishwasher panels are white on one side and black on the other. Simply unscrew it and flip it around!

*Update your bathrooms. A new toilet seat and faucet set can make a big difference. Consider re-grouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles if your tub and shower are looking dingy.

*Revamp storage space. Adding do-it-yourself wire and laminate closet systems to bedrooms, pantries and entry closets will make storage spaces more accessible, functional and appealing.

*Clean your carpet. Professional cleaning can be an inexpensive investment for the aesthetic of your home. Don’t worry about replacing wall-to-wall carpeting for more worn carpet; use rugs to cover areas.

*Consider replacing lights with attractive fixtures or inexpensive chandeliers. For ceiling fans, you can replace fan blades while leaving the body in place.

*Make sure your entryway is appealing. A good-looking handle and lock set indicates a dependable home. Painting the door can also make a big difference.

*Brush up your front yard. Mowing the lawn, sweeping the walkway, and a few nicely placed plants can make a great first impression to the buyer.