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Ask a Realtor -What devalues your Virginia Home?

By
Real Estate Agent with Samson Properties VA0225077251

Media is full of news ....whether you are in great Northern Virginia Real Estate market where we have seen a positive growth or other part of the country where you are seeing negative growth of housing market. However from a Realtor® view there are things that you can control and be the home that get's a SOLD.

1. Simple home maintenance: Just like oil change in your home, if you don't change filters, fix that rotten exterior trim or avoid the leak you had for years it will reduce the value on your home. Walk room by room and make a to do list to take of the items that are long over looked.

2. Update your home: Do you still wear your 80s clothes?  Then why have that 80s carpet/appliances in your home. Budget and plan to update in your home. I tell my clients ..update while you can enjoy rather than update for someone else.

3. Odor: Have pet or cooking odor...moment buyer walks in the home it reacts to the smell and creates a negative attitude about the home and its condition. But please don't over do with fragrances!

4. Overly personalized home: Take down artifacts or your family pictures depersonalize your home. Keep you home simple and clean where buyers can imagine themselves in the home. Please after your take down the art or pictures please fix nail holes.

5. Curb Appeal: Pick up kids bike, balls form the yard....add some punch of color with flowers and please start working on your grass to keep it green. Lack of curb appeals will devalue before even the buyers walk inside your home.

Posted by

 
                             
Associate Broker
MRP, ABR, ePRO

NVAR, Life Time Top Producer
NVAR,Multiple Million Dollar Sales Club Member
Samson Properties
Cell - 703-625-4949
Email - info@eNOVAHomes.com
Web: www.eNOVAHOMES.com
 
Residential real estate agent serving Northern Virginia in Fairfax & Loudoun county over a decade and almost $100+M in sales volume experience. 


 

Comments (5)

Coral Gundlach
Compass - Arlington, VA
Real Lives. Not Just Real Estate.

This is a great list!  I showed a home yesterday in which they had not done some of those nice finishing touches.  For example the white paint was dinged and peeling off in a few places on their cabinets.  We then began to look for flaws such as this after we saw those.  The biggest one was in the upstairs laundry room, there had clearly been a leak in the washer.  No tray underneath and no flooring, just a damaged kind of moldy sub floor showing.  I was very surprised a seller and/or seller's agent would overlook these details.   The buyer liked the house but the lack of upkeep gave her pause.

Jun 17, 2011 01:00 AM
Ritu Desai 703-625-4949
Samson Properties - Chantilly, VA
Northern Virginia,Washington DC & Maryland Realtor

Carol, I agree with market being so volatile that simple things get separate one seller home to another.

Jun 17, 2011 01:07 AM
Anonymous
Richard Murphy

Good post. Whenever our clients ask a "should I" question we always reply "I would". Should I paint the trim? I would.

 

Jun 17, 2011 01:37 AM
#3
Anonymous
Chandu

This is true list and works in selling a home. Buying a home is easy. Selling shows the real skill of a home owner. You pass as home owner when you can sell your home in any market. Staging is the key for its sucess.

Jun 17, 2011 03:39 AM
#4
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Ritu, you have created a GREAT list, and so true!     Had to laugh at #2, I had a listing appointment a few months ago at a condo that had orange shag carpet --- SO 80's!

Jun 17, 2011 03:19 PM