It's funny how before closing on a home, many buyers will come up with a to-do list of things that absolutely, positively must be done within moments of moving in. Then, years later, those must-do things still aren't done. That's why I advise my clients not to make immediate improvements or alter a home within the first few months unless they are 100% confident that it's what is in their best interest and will return the best bang for the buck upon resale. Sometimes, it's better to get a feel for a home by living in it for a while. What irritated a buyer at first blush might grow on a person as the years go by. For example, the former owners of my home cemented a small ceramic flamingo to a knee-wall divider in my guest bath; which initially seemed tasteless and silly but five years later has matured and developed a certain charm. I kind of like it now.
And that's what happens to many other home owners. They become so comfortable in their homes that if their house has deferred maintenance, they might not see it. Those cracks in the ceiling and peeling wallpaper seems to disappear because the owners have lived with it so long they don't notice it anymore. But buyers will.
Read more about Selling Defective Homes.
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