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What's worse? A "swinging chair" hanging in the bedroom or a tanning bed in the formal dining room?

By Laura Sargent

Real Estate Agent with Carolina One Real Estate

March 07, 2011 05:28 AM

Or:

5 dogs kenneled in the kitchen or 7 cats laying on the couch?

Or:

Broken windows or broken mirrors?

I could go on and on...

You know the answer! It's really quite simple. What makes a buyer NOT buy your home is the worse scenario/answer!

We are equal but all different. I like green and my son likes blue. I don't like yipping dogs that behave like they are going to bite someone but others like the feeling of protection they provide. A seller may be using a room as an office but I can believe it would show far better as a formal dining room.

It's important to have your home match your surroundings when selling. If you were selling the Playboy Mansion then "swings" may be expected. But, I bet you aren't!

If you are selling a loft... make it minimal and cool and airy and flow.

If you are selling suburbia... have the bedroom, be bedrooms and the family room, be a family room and the dining room have a table!

I'm sorry that you may need to rent storage or sell items. You must be "shelf" ready for all! Yes, that means generic and clean. That means that a man would like your home as much as a woman. That a family of 5, with teenagers, would fit your home as well as a family of 6, with all kids under the age of 4. That the twenty year old newbie could easily see themselves buying a home sold by seniors.

You want the most for your home in the least amount of time, right? Open it up, to show the best, to all people and be ready to be SOLD!

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Donne Knudsen

Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA

CalState Realty Services

Mar 07, 2011 05:31 AM

Laura - Ok, seriously now. While I do understand that for most buyers, these things would be a major turnoff but for most of my buyers, none of these things would probably be deal breakers. I assure you, most of my buyers have seen far worse.

All of these things would probably be seen as minor changes for most of buyers with the exception being those of my buyers who I know to have allergies to most animals. When considering a property that they know to have had pets (they can tell within seconds of entering a home), they automatically know that they have to rip out any carpet or fabric window treatments and that the home has to be professionally cleaned and sanitize of any pet dander.

Fortunately for most of my borrowers, they know they need to be able to look past a lot of crap and situations if they ever expect to get into escrow on a halfway decent property. This is just another example of how truly local most real estate is and one of the things I love reading about other markets across the country. Have a good week Laura. :)

Mar 07, 2011 05:39 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Laura- I'm even going to say what I saw in a bedroom once.... . If someone likes a house they'll probably see past some things but because of the market we're in, why risk turning off even one buyer. Houses don't need to be perfect ... just gently approach it.

Mar 07, 2011 05:45 AM

Richard Strahm

American Foursquare Realty - Lansdale, PA

Lansdale and North Penn Real Estate

I had to laugh out loud, because I've seen the tanning bed in the dining room! And I though that no one else would have done that . . .

Mar 07, 2011 07:13 AM

Pat Haddad, ABR, CRS, ePRO, GRI

Keller Williams Indianapolis Metro NE - Carmel, IN

Carmel, Fishers, Westfield IN Real Estate Expert

Laura--What else are you going to do while you eat? Makes perfect sense to me as long as you do not choke on your food. I do love my stager. She is perfectly willing to be the bad guy for me!!

Mar 07, 2011 07:19 AM

Laura Sargent

Carolina One Real Estate - Mount Pleasant, SC

Thanks Donne! Love you input and rotfl little man

Kathy - Oh what our eyes have seen!

Richard - It's like the 80's hit a room and can't find an exit

Pat - Now I'm on the floor laughing and gagging!

Mar 07, 2011 11:21 AM

Sidney Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula Kutchuk - Realty Works Temecula

Realty Works Temecula - Temecula, CA

Realty Works Temecula

Reminds me of the time I tried to sell a home that had no interior doors what so ever due to the fact the occupants wanted to refinish them in the middle of the listing. They were all in the garage on saw horses.

Mar 07, 2011 11:55 AM

Hey Jane... Excellent addition. Anything that makes the potential buyer say "huh" - not good

Mar 07, 2011 02:33 PM

Belinda Spillman

Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado - Aurora, CO

Colorado Living!

Laura. It is so hard sometimes to get sellers to change their lifestyle in order to sell their house. Then they wonder why their house didn't sell.....

Mar 08, 2011 01:34 AM

Very good point - I tell my sellers that I understand they need to continue living but if it's change they want it has to begin today.

Mar 08, 2011 02:49 AM

What's worse? A "swinging chair" hanging in the bedroom or a tanning bed in the formal dining room?

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