Are the Three Ds Sabotaging Your Charlotte Home Sale?

Are the Three Ds Sabotaging Your Charlotte Home Sale?

Donna, one of my current home buyer clients, is very organized in her approach to finding a home.  She takes notes on each house that we view.  This helps her remember the details and pluses and minuses of each property later when she turns to the process of eliminating those that won’t work for her family.

Last week as we toured a home, Donna made the comment that she could easily rate the property.  She was going to give it three Ds.  Curious, I asked her what three Ds meant.  “Dark, dirty and dated,” she replied.

Dark, dirty and dated.

Those three Ds describe why so many Charlotte homes don’t sell.  It amazes me that some Charlotte home sellers sabotage their home sales with the three Ds when the fixes for these problems can be so simple and mostly inexpensive.  Here are some tips for ensuring that your home doesn’t get graded with three Ds.

Dark

This is so easy.  Turn all the lights on.  Every light in the house, including the lamps.  If you have a room that has dark corners, buy an inexpensive pole lamp for uplighting.  Open the blinds, shades and curtains.  The right amount of light can turn a dungeon into a delight.  Why would you let a few pennies for electricity keep you from selling your biggest investment?

Dirty

Come on.  Buyers don’t want to move into someone else’s filthy home.  They notice the ugly stained bathtubs and showers, the spotted carpets, the dusty knickknacks, the dirty windows.  They smell your cats and dogs and the fish you had for dinner last night.  If you are unable to make your home sparkle for showings, hire someone to clean it for you.  Clear out the animal dishes and kitty litter.  Remember, if it smells, it won’t sell.

Dated

Yes, updating a home can get expensive.  But there are some simple, relatively inexpensive things that you can do to make your home less dated.  Do you still have shiny brass fixtures?  Shiny brass is out!  Replace those light fixtures, faucets and kitchen hardware with something in today’s popular finishes.  Updated fixtures can change a home’s look dramatically.  You will also get a lot of bang for your buck if you paint your rooms with dark or bold colors a fresh neutral color.  Getting a little more expensive, replace that worn out carpet.  It doesn’t have to be the most expensive carpet, just new and neutral.  The kitchen is everyone’s favorite room.  Replacing old appliances and countertops will help you sell your home because buyers won’t be thinking of what they have to do to make the home livable for them.

Don’t let Donna’s three Ds sabotage your Charlotte home sale.  Take some steps to keep your home from being labeled dark, dirty and dated.  Change one of your biggest investments from DISGUSTING to DELIGHTFUL.  Donna would approve.

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Copyright 2010.  Carol Fox.  Allen Tate Realtors.  *Are the Three Ds Sabotaging Your Home Sale?*