Give Your Home a Look in the Most Critical Eyes - Through Buyer's Eyes

Your home pad is in the perfect location, has all the great amenities a buyer would want and is close to everything. But what would you say if numerous buyers walked into your home and walked out, without ever returning again, much less never deciding to write an offer on your home. But why is not a single buyer biting? What is stopping these buyers from snatching up your perfect little home?

Chances are your home is not perfect and they are probably zeroing in on flaws; big and small that are turning them off. Your eyes and a buyer’s eyes are not the same.

The truth is, what a buyer sees as important is probably a lot different then what you see in your own home. Maybe your own personalization of the home is killing it for a buyer. Or maybe it’s the little items that turn off the buyer, such as you have a dripping facet, the wood is rotting around your back patio door or the floor of your garage is covered with oil spots.

Most buyers walk into a home and know within 7 seconds if they will buy that home. Literally they do and I call it the 7 second rule. I’ve seen it happen time and time again. Why? Because a buyer friendly home talks to the buyer and convinces them this is the right place. It’s the place a buyer can’t live without!

So sellers, take off those rose-colored glasses and let’s get down to business to get your home sold. Look at it this way; remember after you returned home from a vacation, you probably walked into your home and saw things you didn’t like and wanted to change. That is because you had a fresh perspective on the home. That is the same perspective a buyer uses when seeing your place for the first time. Or think about when you visit a friend’s home and see their shag green carpet from the 1970's or the purple painted kitchen? Now, you know what it is like for a buyer.

This is a touchy subject for most sellers. But I try to ease them into the discussion before we get a home ready to hit the market. I like to personally walk into every room in the house with my seller and we discuss the pros and cons. In the end, they do appreciate the honestly and the house sells much quicker.

So what are some of my helpful tips? Get your pen ready because here we go:

1. Go to the front door and stand and look at your house. What do you see? Clutter? If so, think less like a decorator and more like an architect. Decorators like to fill spaces and walls. Architects merely like to create space. So remember less is more, so get to decluttering!

2. Walk outside your home for a few minutes and when you come back in, what do you smell? Any smell of pets or smoking? Buyers are instantly turned off by these smells. And sometimes don’t even want to go inside the home. Try not to smoke inside the home. And clean often if you have pets. Click Here for more info on what to do when you have pets and it's time to sell.

3. Now walk in every room of your home. Do you see anything chipped, cracked or in need of repair. Are the toilets lose, does the sink drip, are the light bulbs out, are the corners of the walls showing off its chipped paint, are the baseboards clean. Or how do the floors look? Do the hardwoods need refinishing; is the vinyl or the tile in need of repair or replacement? Click here to learn more about how the Sight, Sound and Smell have an impact on your home.

All of these small items add up quick to an entire checklist of repair items. Make it easier for the buyer to fall in love with your home by taking care of the little things. You, as the seller, will be glad you put in a little elbow grease before putting your home on the market. You will see shorter market times and more bucks!

For a complete list of things to look for as you walk in a buyer’s shoes, email or call/text me now and I will get you moving in the right direction!

Lexington KY is always #1 in my book! Whether you want to buy a downtown condo, a custom walkout ranch on a golf course, or a horse farm in the country, I can help find the perfect home for you – as well as help you sell your home. In addition to Lexington Real Estate, I specialize in the nearby towns of Paris, Midway, Georgetown, and Versailles.