2007 brought a year of change to the Sumter, SC real estate market. We witnessed a shift from a sellers' market to a buyers' market. As a Realtor®, I am finding many sellers' to still be in shock or denial. Two areas critical to selling a home have changed in regards to selling in the current market and both are hard to understand at times.
First, pricing is critical. There was a time in the Sumter, SC real estate market a seller could look at the comparables and decide to list their house for more because of the features or sometimes because the sellers simply wanted to. Chances were very good that a buyer would be found quickly and for the list price or slightly below. Today, a house must be priced along with the comparables in order to get the buyers in to look at it. (Many buyers realize that if a home is overpriced, there is a good chance the sellers' might not be willing to negotiate.)
Second is the condition and presentation of the home. In a sellers' market, it wasn't as critical to get every last job complete around the home before placing it on the market. Sellers became complacent and thought if a buyer wants the home bad enough they will accept it with all its quirks and faults. The current market in Sumter, SC real estate lends buyers to eliminate homes quickly as they have so many choices. A buyer can reject a house based upon the wall color; carpet color and any other factor as there are probably ten more homes in that price range to be seen.
Given this change, I have been asked by clients what to do to get their homes ready to list. The best I can tell them is to make sure their home is perfect. Don't let a buyer find an excuse to rule out the home, let them find nothing wrong with it and then let it be the floor plan or some other characteristic that you can't control without spending an arm and a leg.
Take a walk around your home Mr. Seller. But don't do it like you live there, walk through your home like you are a buying looking to purchase. Walk thru the front door and carry a camera. Take pictures of every room as you walk into them and look around. Write down notes about what strikes you in each room. If this is hard for you to do, ask a friend to go along with you. But ask someone that you trust and will give you an honest opinion. Make sure you include the closets and cabinets in your walk thru. Yes, people definitely look in closets and I have seen many people open and close drawers and cabinet doors and look inside! After completing the inside walk thru, go through the garage and around the exterior of the home and look at it with a critical eye.
Include in your walk thru:
- Is the room Dark or light?
- Are there any odors in the rooms?
- Does the room feel large or cramped?
- Is the room cluttered?
- Are there many personal items (pictures, etc.) around the home? Can I as a buyer be able to walk in here and "make it their home"?
- Is the décor neutral or specific? I love themes in kids rooms don't get me wrong, but I remember showing a house with a room completely done in Strawberry Shortcake down the ceiling fan, wall paper border and stencils on the wall. It was perfect for the family living there, but it might not be so perfect for a buyer.
- Is the room clean? Are there spots on the walls or the flooring?
- Are the light fixtures in good repair and all bulbs working?
- Is landscaping well maintained?
- Does the house need painting?
- Does the exterior of the home need a pressure washing?
After completing the walk thru inside and around the exterior of the home, sit down and review your list and if possible print out your photos. With a red pen, circle what you see in the photos. What catches your eyes? Are there areas that need to be tidied up? Is three cleaning that needs to be done? These are items to work on if they are not positive. Take your notes and your photos and make a list of projects to complete. Not sure where to start, call me and I will be glad to assist you in the walk thru and creating your home selling to-do list. Selling a home in the current Sumter Real Estate Market is possible; you just need to have your home showcase ready.
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