Four Things NOT to Do When Selling Your Home

Four Things NOT to Do When Selling Your Home

When you think about selling your home, either now or in the future, many things pass through your mind. You wonder where you will move, what you want in a new home, and how much your home will be worth when it sells. You probably start watching do-it-yourself TV shows that describe what buyers are looking for. Make sure that the shows you watch are about the type of buyer who might be interested in your home, because otherwise your home "improvements" might actually lower your home's sale price.

There are four "improvements" that no homeowner should make as a part of the home-sale preparation process. These four projects have been touted as good ideas in the past, but buyers are rarely swayed positively when they see them.

Swimming Pool

First, the swimming pool. Certainly, swimming pools are a great amenity. In the past, a home with a pool would be a hot seller in most areas. However, with rising utility and insurance costs, the backyard pool has become more of a risk than a benefit.

Some potential buyers will not even look at a home with a pool because they plan to start a family and want to avoid the safety hazards associated with pool ownership.

In ground or above ground really makes no difference. If you have a pool that is in disrepair, have it removed. If you do not have a pool, keep things that way.

Additions

Next, beware of the addition. Space is money in the real-estate world. A larger home usually has a higher sale price than a small home with similar features. If you have a smaller home that you believe would sell for more with additional space, be extremely cautious before building an addition.

Today's style calls for uniformity. Therefore, any addition must fit well with the style and lines of the home. If you are willing and able to make the requisite investment, then do not hesitate to add the space. However, if you cannot ensure that the addition cost will be offset by the increase in the sales price, forego the addition.

Even if you do not plan to sell immediately, follow the same rule of thumb. One day you will want to sell, and uniformity is unlikely to fall out of popularity in the near future.

Hot Tubs

Hot Tubs and Jacuzzis may seem like the ultimate in relaxation, but potential buyers perceive them as risks, much like swimming pools. Specifically, they perceive the safety risk and the risk of costly repairs or replacement.

Realtors know that 90% of potential buyers are more impressed with a creative and well-designed shower than with a garden tub. Today's homebuyers are busy, working long hours and raising families. They don't have the time necessary to truly enjoy these tubs, so they perceive less benefit than you might expect.

Trends

Stay away from trends. What is in today may be out tomorrow, or even before today is finished! In the home-improvement world, trendy is a buzzword that can kill your chances of a successful sale.

For example, if you think paneling is a great idea, speak with anyone who purchased a home during the 1980s and had to spend weeks removing the paneling and painting what was underneath. Buyers are looking for homes that they can move into immediately. This means that they want a home whose style and décor will withstand the test of time.

Conclusion

When you prepare to sell your home, avoid swimming pools, additions that don't match your home completely, hot tubs, and trendy designs that probably won't be popular in a year or so. Otherwise, you could find out the hard way that your so-called improvements have reduced your home's sale price.