Peggy Chirico ~ Hartford & Tolland County Real Estate Blog

You Have Stainless Steel Appliances ~ Big Deal!

Over the weekend, I showed three houses to potential buyers and the third one was the one that prompted this blog.  The MLS listing sheet proclaimed that there were new stainless steel appliances and the pictures of them were prominently displayed. After the showing of this house, all we could say was "Big Deal!"

In some cases, stainless steel appliances are the icing on the already delicious cake.  Buyers do like stainless steel appliances, and when they see new shiny appliances they know that there will be one less thing they have to spend money on.   If the home is in top-notch shape, stainless steel is an added bonus that can tip the scales to encouraging a sale. 

However, in the third house I showed over the weekend, there were so many eyesores to the property that stainless steel appliances couldn't possibly make up for.  For example, there was moulding that wasn't completed, the floorplan was choppy, the bathrooms were outdated, the wallpaper was falling down, etc.  You get my drift.

No amount of shine from those shiny new stainless steel appliances will blind buyers to the things that weren't fixed.  Before spending money on new appliances, sellers need to tackle the real problems that buyers will see and not try to blind them with new appliances. 

Advice for Sellers ~ Take Pictures of Your Yard Now!

If you are thinking of putting your home on the market next year (yes, some people think that far in advance), you MUST take pictures of your yard now! 

I have recently talked to several potential clients who are thinking that they will be putting their homes on the market next spring.  They are spending the time (wisely) to do everything they can to get their homes in tiptop shape so they can get the most money for their home in the least amount of time. 

One of the things I always tell them is "Take Pictures of Your Yard Now!"  Next March when you finally list your home, your yard will be waking up from its winter sleep.  Nothing will be in bloom yet and buyers won't know how beautiful your yard can be.  Give them an idea of what it looks like at its most beautiful by leaving pictures for potential buyers.

The weather has been stellar here lately, and your yard is probably at its peak.  The sky is bright blue, the grass is green, your flowers are in bloom, the entertaining areas are all decked out, and if you have a pool it's looking very refreshing right about now.

Don't wait until next spring to take pictures of your yard.  Show potential buyers your home and yard in its best light by taking pictures now! 

How to Sell Your Home in Ten Days

This home had been listed for one week when we received two offers on it, one of which the sellers accepted.  I have also had listings that have sat on the market for much longer before they have sold.  What's the difference?

We have been in a tough real estate market: lots of inventory, high absorption rates, choosy buyers, job security woes.  But the upside is that there are great houses on the market, lots to choose from, and really great interest rates.

So was there anything different about this house that made it sell so fast? Yes!  The owners did everything they could to present their home in the best possible light.  Here are some suggestions if you want to sell your home fast:

1.  Do the upgrades now.   

The owners knew that they would eventually be moving so the began early to make all the improvements they felt they needed to do to sell their home.  All the mechanicals were replaced, central air was installed, the windows and roof were replaced, and the interior was changed to appeal to today's buyers.  They installed new hardwood floors, used designer paint colors, decluttered and depersonalized, and bought a few new pieces of furniture for that model-home look. 

You don't have to spend a lot of money to improve your home; there are several low-cost improvements that anyone can undertake.

2.  Be ready for every showing.

The owners established a routine of keeping the home clean and in show-ready condition.  Every showing was an A+ because they used a few quick tricks to keep their home in show-ready shape.  Granted, they do not have young children and that made it much easier, but they do have a dog that does a lot of shedding.  Everyone has challenges, and homeowners have to figure out how to manage those.  If you have small children, storage will be key so that you can quickly tidy up before showings.

3.  Make showings as easy as possible.

The homeowners made sure that they were reachable at all times.  They always had their cell phones on and let me know if they were going to be away at any time.  They cheerfully packed up the dog as quickly as possible if there was a last minute showing, and, as was mentioned above, they prepared the home every morning in case there might be a showing that day.  The agents who showed the house always mentioned how appreciative they were that showings were not a hassle.

4.  Price your home competitively.

This home had been on the market before at a much higher price, and it did not sell.  There were quite a few showings, all with positive feedback, but there were no offers because it was priced too high for the market.  This time around, however, the homeowners took a very realistic look at the market statistics and at their goals.  Their objective was to sell before a certain time and they agreed on a price that would accomplish that.  Many homeowners feel that they don't have to sell, and so they "take a stab at it" with a price that is too high.  Most of the time, they won't sell at that price and will set the right price when they decide that they do have to sell.  Taking a "see what happens" approach to selling a house will not produce the desired results.

If you are thinking of putting your home on the market and would like a quick sale, consider doing some of the things these homeowners did.  You too may be able to sell your home in 10 days.

It's easy to give advice, but it's not so easy to take it!

As Realtors, we often give out advice so that people can sell their homes more quickly and for more money.  We advise people to de-clutter, clean, and make repairs before putting their homes on the market.  We advise them to remove personal items, paint in buyer-friendly colors, and rearrange or store their furniture to appeal to buyers.  When they finally do receive offers on their house, we advise them to put their emotions (once again) on the back burner and think in terms of their goals.   

But what if you were on the receiving end of all that advice?  I had a dose of being on the receiving end of my own advice this past week when I seriously considered moving.  I had spent another week in warmer climates and started looking at properties.  When I found one I could absolutely see myself living in, I went to the next step of asking myself what I would need to do to make it happen.  Of course, this probably isn't going to take place any time soon, but I did go through the exercise, which is the closest I have ever come to actually picturing myself moving out of the house I have been in for 35 YEARS!!!

All of a sudden, I could feel the angst that some of my clients have felt.  Although there is the attraction of taking the next step, there is the stomach-churning reality of cleaning, decluttering, repairing, painting, and discarding years of junk that has been so easily stored in the attic!

Where do I start? I made up a list and will just have to tackle each task one step at a time.  I can't imagine every getting to the end of the list, but in the meantime, I have a whole new appreciation for what sellers have to go through!