I had an opportunity to learn what buyers are thinking about when they start their search to find the right Humboldt County California Home.

My friends Chris and Lynn invited me over to dinner a couple of weeks ago.  They had bought their home only a couple of years before.  So their home buying experience, searching for the right Eureka CA Home, was still very fresh in their minds.  What I discovered is that most of the statistics we find on NAR (National Association of Realtors) does apply and ring true even for the Humboldt County CA Real Estate market and more specifically you see it in buyers searching in the Eureka CA Real Estate market.  

As a seller, when your home is competing with other Eureka CA Homes on the market, it's important to "Think like a buyer".  For some of you it may have been a while since you were a buyer, but it's good to sit down and remember what that experience was like. 

Ask yourself these questions:

1) What was it about your Eureka CA home that attracted you to tour the inside?

2) What was it about your home that made you say  "Yeah, I can see myself living in this home for the next 10 years"?

3) How about the other Humboldt County CA homes you decided not to make an offer on?  What was it about those homes that made you keep searching?

4) When you looked at the multiple listing sheet or ad for the home - what homes inspired you to set up a showing appointment and what homes did you decide not to pursue?

5) Were there homes that screamed "Leave!  Leave now!" and what was it about those homes that made you decide to stop your search short?

These questions are what buyers are asking themselves throughout their home buying search even our remote little Humboldt County CA Real Estate market.  Below are some answers to the above questions directly from the buyer's mouth (Chris and Lynn):

1) Vacant or Occupied?  Which is better? – Occupied is better.

Chris and Lynn's answer:  "We had a difficult time seeing where we would put the couch and the other furniture.  It was easier for us to envision how the house layout would work with our furniture when we had an example already – ie – seller’s furniture and staging helped us connect emotionally to the house.  Also, we noticed that most vacant homes smelled aweful and that was a huge turn off."

2) No interior photos or very few photos on MLS compared to many good photos on MLS?  Photos the more the merrier!

Chris and Lynn's answer:  "No or few photos is a Big No No – after seeing a couple of homes that had no interior photos and realizing that the inside was usually really terrible inside – either very dated, cluttered or needed a ton of work – we just assumed any home with no pictures was one to skip – we figured that game out quickly.  No photos usually meant horrid interior inside".

3) What about condition did that matter?  Excellent/Very Good Condition compared to Homes that needed work or updating (some deferred maintenance) ?

Chris and Lynn's answer:  "We preferred a move in ready house – a few little updates here and there were ok, but major updates – like redoing all the floors, kitchen and bath, etc was too much for us to deal with.

4) Is it OK for the Seller to be in their home when a buyer and their agent want to see the house?  Always leave your home so the buyer can comfortably decide whether your house is the one.

Chris and Lynn's answer:  Seller following in house – We had a few experiences where the seller followed us around.  It was distracting and made it hard to focus on the house.  I want to be able to go through a house thoroughly – check the cupboards and closets (indicates condition) and to make comments even if they are negative to my agent and have a discussion – I didn’t feel comfortable doing that and I usually assume that the seller isn’t motivated enough either, so we passed on those houses.

5) Does it really matter if my house smells like dog, or cat, musty, strong food smells, cigarette smells, etc?

Chris and Lynn's answer:  Smells were a big issue – if the house didn’t smell good we worried about what was wrong with the house and it’s hard to get past a bad smell so we passed on those houses too.  Also if there was an obvious artificial smell – like Glade plug in – we wondered what kind of smells the seller was trying to hide from us.

So there you have it, answers straight from the  Horse's Buyer's mouth.

Copyright 2008 Jessica Bigger.  All Rights Reserved.  *Humboldt County CA Home Sellers and Eureka CA Home Sellers – What Buyers Really Think About Your House*

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Contact Jessica Bigger, Realtor®, Ming Tree GMAC Real Estate at 707-269-4305 to list your home for sale or to purchase your first or next home in Eureka, Cutten, Bayside, Arcata, McKinleyville, Westhaven, Trinidad and the rest of Humboldt County California.

To view all Humboldt County CA Historic and Luxury Homes for Sale Click Here, then click on Search Area Listings at the top of the web site.  I know Humboldt County CA well and can help you get your home Sold or help you buy your next Humboldt County California Home. Call today!