FSBO Help Part 5:
"5 Reasons Buyers Hate Your House.... And 5 Quick Fixes"

#1:  You Smoke Inside
If a buyer walks in your house and smells cigarrettes, you have just severely decreased the chances of them being interested in the house.  Many people find the smell extremely offensive, and unfortunately it is not an odor that you can get rid of quickly.

QUICK FIX:  If you are a smoker, you likely do not realize that your house smells of smoke.  Ask a friend or neighbor who doesn't smoke to give you their honest opinion.  The, don't be fooled into thinking that you can neutralize the smell by opening the windows and lighting scented candles.  If possible, you should invest in an air filtration device specially designed to eliminate odors over time.  For a quick fix, you can place dishes of white vinegar around the house to absorb the smell and close the home up for a day or so (try it while you are at work).  And of course, you should stop smoking inside the home immediately.

#2:  Your Pets Have Left Their Mark
Even animal lovers don't want evidence of someone else's pets in their new home.  The bigest complaint is pet smell (both the smell of the animal itself and the smell it leaves on the carpet before it's housebroken or litterbox trained).  Other complaints include fur in the carpet, gnawed baseboards, etc.

QUICK FIX:  Have carpets professionally cleaned to get rid of pet stains and odors.  If the damage is particularly bad, have them replaced.  Replace chewed or scratched baseboards, walls, and doors.  Don't let Fluffy and Rover ruin your chances of getting a buyer!

#3:  Your Disposal is Broken
Buyers WILL test appliances, light switches, etc. when they tour your home.  If they discover that there are small "hidden" defects such as a broken disposal, they will worry that there are other more important and more expensive things wrong with the home that aren't in plain view.

QUICK FIX:  You must pay attention to detail.  Make sure everything is in working order, no matter how trivial it may seem to you.

#4:  You Have Wallpaper
Yes, the flowers match your dishes, and the stripes compliment your couch, but they probably don't work with the buyer's things.  Wallpaper is very personalized, and difficult to take down.  Buyers would much rather deal with paint.

QUICK FIX:  Take down the wallpaper.  Paint the room a warm, neutral color.  There is no shortcut to this.  The wallpaper has to go!

#5:  Your Appliances Are Older Than Their Teenagers
Buyers in today's market have more choices than they have in years.  Many homeowners have replaced their kitchen appliances (and washer & dryer) in the last couple of years, and if you aren't one of them you could be at a major disadvantage.

QUICK FIX:  If your appliances are more than 10-12 years old you should think about replacing them or offering buyers an incentive (for eample, $2000 towards the purchase of new appliances).  Make sure to take into account both the age and condition of the appliances in question.

(This is the fifth post in our 7 part series "FSBO Help".... Add us to your "favorites" and stay tuned for more!)

FSBO Help Part 1: "Thinking INSIDE the Box:  Packing to Stay Ahead of the Pack"
FSBO Help Part 2: "Why Staging is Taking Center Stage"
FSBO Help Part 3:  "Top 10 Ways to Sell Your Home Faster Than the Neighbors (tips 1-5)"
FSBO Help Part 4:  "Top 10 Ways to Sell Your Home Faster Than the Neighbors (tips 6-10)"
FSBO Help Part 6:  "Why the Guy Next Door Has No Idea What He's Talking About"
FSBO Help Part 7:  "Drop the Price Before You Pay the Price"

Meghan Mullee
Jupiter, FL Real Estate

Copyright 2008 Meghan Mullee