What 'THEY' say is important in reselling a home - Page 3

CatLady72 · ‎03-10-2010

My house is on the market 2 months already..........I decluttered and I did 90% of what the realtor suggested to make the house look good....I spent over $20,000 to do this......Just lowered the price because the realor company sends in their real estate agents to look at the house and give their opinions.......I did not make the original listing price,my realtor did..........I have had very little interest...and it's time to see the office manager and change my realtor??????......Also I did not update the kitchen/bathrooms ..I ainted, new shower door, new faucets, new carpeting new driveway and other small things., trim bushes

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

In my area, homes are ****** expensive...it's more of CAN I afford to buy here. That said, my community was built in the early 80's and stuff is wearing out as the developer and builders used junk. Redoing your bathroom is because your floor has cracked or worn out, water is leaking into the downstairs, your tub is sinking... NOT because you saw something in a magazine/on TV. You redo your kitchen because the idiot who designed them put 3 cabinets in the kitchen and left blank wall space...WTH?! You redo it because the Formica counters and cheap plywood cabinets are shot. You redo it because everything has worn itself out and NO buyer is going to pay $400,000 plus when OTHER townhome owners HAVE put $30,000 into the kitchen JUST to sell it.

I could go on and on but why bother. In the end, the houses are old (that are not $900,000 and up) and LOOK it. Then again, some buyers just want to buy so they are buying homes with decks and bathrooms that don't even pass the home inspection.

What's on those shows and other home style media means nothing here.

CaliKat · ‎03-17-2010

@Mominohio wrote:
@ccassaday wrote:
Three things will sell your home. Price, making sure there are no projects, and uncluttered everything. Buyers are willing to do projects but not if the price is to high. So expect your house to sit longer if you have wallpaper or things the buyer sees as needing done.

We are putting our house on the market. It is uncluttered with fresh paint. There is nothing the buyer is going to feel needs done. No ugly wallpaper and no unfinished projects. Paint and flooring are all neutral and any decor will work.

In our market this is the wise way to go. I see so many that tout the house simply will not sell without a new kitchen or new bath etc. But that is just not true.

It is about price. If priced right, none of that will stop the right buyer.

When we look at houses, I don't care about the carpet or the color on the walls even. I care about the foundation, the roof, the main systems (heating, electrical, plumbing) and then the quality and condition of things like windows, exterior doors, etc. and of course always the first thing is location.

But I think so many people are being hoodwinked into putting in tens of thousands of dollars in renovations that never really result in pay off when the home sells. Lots of work and aggravation, when just listing at a lower price may have been the easier (and wiser) thing to do.

@Mominohio

I agree with everything you said. If I was selling a house today, I wouldn't do a thing to it, other than clean, and try to have things as neutral as possible (inexpensively).

When we sold our home it was in good condition, with good AC, heat, roof, etc. However, our bathrooms, and kitchen (although also in good condition) were outdated, by todays standards. I live in a large metropolitan community, and buyers want all the new bells and whistles. But chances are their idea of the perfect kitchen, would not be mine.

I would never spend a fortune re-doing my kitchen and bathrooms, when new buyers would probably come in and want to gut all that I did, to put in what they want anyway.

We had no problem selling our house as it was, and we got the price we felt was right. I would have been very disappointed if I had put tens of thousands of dollars into updating, and then not been able to get back any of my investment, when we sold.

software · ‎06-08-2016

20-30 years ago, young couples mostly purchased a "starter", then with raises and promotions etc, moved up to a larger/better home. They may have done this a couple of times to get into their forever home.

Now I see so many young marrieds going into huge debt -- probably with a bit of help from parents -- to buy their forever home right away. I don't see a lot of buying and selling in my area except for 1st time buyers and new to the area folks.

In the higher end communities with the really good schools, people buy in when their kids are school age and stay until their kids are out of school. Now they do upgrading, many of those homes are little craftsman style and bathrooms, roofs, etc do need the upgrading before going on the market. The owners downsize and let another young couple buy in.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

What sells a home is being spotlessly clean and in pristine repair, and price.There is no way you could decorate or remodel a home to appeal to every person who walks through the door.

Puppy Lips · ‎05-09-2010

I am not a fan of realtors. I formed this "attitude" after working with them for years in my first career, selling two of my own homes, and now selling my Mom's home.

I have stories to tell on all the above, but I will keep them to myself. All I will say here and now is to do what feel right to you, in your home, both now and when it is time to sell.

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@Imaoldhippie wrote:
@Mominohio Im from the Logan, Union and Champaign County areas. We would still be there if it were not for the long cold winters. We haved shoveled enough snow in our life time.

Yes this is our forever place, no residental building going on around here, no large towns within about 50 miles. No industry to speak of either, so no need for new housing. We are working on getting a couple of chickens, 2 mini goats, just for pets. No major animal farm.

Good to meet you too. Go Buckeyes!

@Imaoldhippie

You're come from an area that is relatively close to my neck of the woods, but in all honesty, after living in Ohio all my life, I have to say that I've spent very little time in the western part of the state. I tend to go north and east and south and east, and straight to Cincinnati (where my brother is) but don't get to the west much.

You are right about the winters. The last two here have been quite mild, but some are seemingly endless. We have a while till retirement yet, but I'm already figuring out how to talk hubby into at least wintering somewhere else.

faeriemoon · ‎03-14-2010

I think what "they say" are just guidelines for those who are not in the know. Just general rules to help you be relevent in the real estate market, and draw the largest amount of lookers. The rules are not going to apply to everyone.

Just Bling · ‎03-10-2010

What bothered me the most was the realtor did not tell me to put in a new kitchen but that was indeed the turn off for the prospective buyers that came through the house. Buyers these days want everything done for them, they do not want to "make it their own", maybe later but not now. That's why the "good" houses sell first and are selling for more than asking for that very reason.

In the house I'm living in I'm going to put in a new kitchen for whom? Me, myself and I because I want to enjoy it.

I put in a whole new kitchen in the house that sold and no one got to enjoy it other than the new owners. UGH!!!

I'm not going to work in a kitchen with old paint, dated countertops or an old discolored corian sink, I want new and new for me!

I have learned you can do anything and everything but that doesn't mean someone else will like it. I also learned the heck with the realtors, I had one sell it then I was going to switch but didn't and the other one wanted me to changed all the plugs to GIF (I think that's what they are called) throughout the whole house, wanted me to list at a lower price, didn't like something in the basement and the list went on and on, heck with those people, do what you feel you need and live with it. If someone likes it, they'll buy it.

ccassaday · ‎10-21-2010

One of the things is you need to appeal to the biggest amount of buyers. If you plan on staying in your home a long time them do you. But don't expect to have all this off the wall very personal wall color. Wallpaper is hideous to most buyers. They do not want wallpaper. My brother in laws parents wouldn't take the wallpaper down. House wouldn't sell. She finally took it down and painted and it sold very quick. There is this house listed in my city. It has 90's wallpaper. And guess what if has been sitting. If you don't want to take it out you better price your property on the low end. That's the only way buyers will look past stuff like that.