What Northern Virginia Home Buyers DON’T Want

Home buyers are all looking for something different. Here at JC Advantage in Northern Virginia, we see it daily. Everyone has their own dream home in mind with different features, or aspects they’re looking for. There are certain details that all home buyers will agree on, though: what they DON’T want.

At the top of the list of things buyers avoid is a home with an odor. Smells such as cigarette smoke or mildew can linger in a home. Pets also add an odor, even if you may not notice it. Before hosting an open house or selling a home, be sure to air out the interior. Open windows, steam the carpets and upholstery, and consider washing down walls if odor continues to linger.

Basements are an area where odor can lie. This can be due to dampness caused by rainwater. Dampness or damp smells alert buyers that a home may have foundation problems. Clean up a basement as best you can by using a wet vac, opening windows if you have them, or using air fresheners. It’s also a good idea to determine where the rainwater is coming from. Check clogged underground drains, rain gutters, and downspouts.

A dirty bathroom is another big turnoff. This is a big reason to not choose to buy the home; no one wants to be cleaning up someone else’s grimy bathroom. Before inviting people in, it’s well worth the effort to tidy up and buy new accessories. Making the faucets shine, buying a new shower curtain, and scrubbing the tiles will go a long way.

Brightly lit rooms make space look bigger, cleaner, and more open. So it should go without saying that a dimly lit room can be a turnoff. To avoid this, replace dim light fixtures or add more lights to a room. Skylights are a great way to allow more light to come into a room, and give a lovely sky view which is great for our Northern Virginia weather. Other ways to brighten up a room include cleaning dirty or fogged windows, and trimming any tree limbs which may cause shadows in the house.

 Not everyone is an animal lover. Seeing an unknown dog laying on the carpet of their potential new home may irritate buyers. Unfamiliar animals can also be frightening, and lead to a buyer not coming into the home at all. Your best bet is to remove pets during showings or put them in a crate if possible. Don’t plan on putting your pet in a room or garage and asking others not to open it. Not showing off an area of the house reflects poorly on the home.

 Wallpaper is one of those things you either love or you hate; there’s rarely a middle ground. That being said, a house full of busy or loud wallpaper can be a big no to potential buyers. Removing wallpaper can be a lot of work, something buyers are looking to avoid. If you want to make your home more buyer-friendly, consider taking down old wallpaper and painting the room a crowd pleasing color.

 Buyers will judge a house by the outdoors before even setting foot in the doorway. It’s important to grab their interest as soon as they hit your driveway. Gutters packed with leaves, an overgrown yard, or peeling porch paint will all be signals to buyers that you may not take care of the house as often as you should.

If these tips have you rethinking selling your home, don’t worry. At JC Advantage, we have the knowledge and expertise to make selling your home a success. Our team of professionals are available to assist you with your real estate needs. Call us today at 703-442-0007 or stop by the office at 8245 Boone Blvd, Suite 410 in Vienna. If you prefer, contact me directly by email at conor@jcadvantage.com.