Home Buyer Insights

Tom Burland  www.Ct-Shore-Homes.com 203-645-0602

I was recently having a coffee with another Realtor in the area comparing notes on the market and buyer's insights on listings.  In particular higher end listings that several out of town buyers had seen.  One was a corporate relocation the others were people looking for a summer home near the water.

The corporate relocation couple's feed back was that they had seen several homes for sale in Madison and Guilford CT that were priced a bit on the high side, had some very attractive benefits to them but each required cosmetic work.  Given the market and choices they were surprised that people were asking a premium and expecting the buyers to do work on the house.  While they know they need to do the personalization, they want to add to what is there, not have to pull wall paper down, paint chipped trim etc.  One spouse even remarked "I am being relocated from friends and family I don't want to pay top dollar for a home and then have to put more into it...I want turn key."

The buyers looking at million dollar plus real estate were surprised when the walked into several premium homes in exclusive waterfront communities and noticed messy closets, laundry rooms piled wiith cloths, and an untidy feel.  It wasn't that these homes were not clean, just untidy and that was enough to turn these buyers off. In other communities they previewed most of the homes were staged and it looked as if a maid just went through the homes because they sparled, so it was not just what they saw it is what they compared it to.

It makes you think, if we are in a crowded real estate market why wouldn't we make the product shine by creating a magnificant presentation wowing buyers as they walk in?  It is an effort, but it might just sell faster.