Five Ways To Turn Off Home Buyers When Selling a Home in London Ontario
Each year thousands of homeowners needlessly lose thousands of dollars when selling their homes. But they don’t lose the money for reasons you might think. They lose money because they unknowingly left it on the table, for the buyer to pocket, by failing to recognize their home’s hidden profit potential.
ODOURS …Overwhelmingly, the #1 complaint among prospective buyers was unpleasant odours in the home. The chief offenders were smoke, pet odours, and exotic cooking aromas. Buyers turn around and walk out because of the smells so oppressive. Most of us are unaware of the ‘peculiar’ odours of our homes because we become immune to the smells – the buyers are not resistant to these same odours.
CLEANLINESS...This # 2 complaint was that the seller should have cleaned. We’re not talking about home staging (which will help) or even unrealistic expectations of spotless homes – just simple old-fashioned cleaning. Selling your home can be inconvenient, but when you have advance notice that a buyer is coming to view your home – clean it up!!! At the very least, remove the dirty dishes from the sink.
SELLER Being at HOME…Coming in at #3 is having the owners at home while the buyers are trying to view it. Most buyers felt very uncomfortable with the seller there. Many said they could not take the time to look at the home’s features because they were in such a hurry to get away from the seller. A fundamental problem for those selling their own home as they are usually the ones showing.
CLUTTER...The #4 complaint is related to the cleanliness point – the dreaded clutter. We have all seen it on the home shows; many buyers have a hard time understanding your home because of all your stuff.
UNFINISHED PROJECTS...Unfinished projects take the #5 spot. If you plan on selling your home, finish any ongoing home improvement projects before placing it on the market. Homes with half-finished painting, flooring, trim, etc., gave buyers a wrong overall impression.
All the above may seem obvious and common sense, and though I have exaggerated a few points here, after showing thousands of homes in my career, it is the little things that matter!
