Real Estate Blog - Top 5 Things Buyers Don't Like About Your House

Home : Blogs : Pam Simpson - GRI, Broker-Assoc. : The Kudzu Vine - Northwest MS Real Estate

Top 5 Things Buyers Don't Like About Your House

Top 5 Things Buyers Don't Like About Your House
by Pam Simpson
The Kudzu Vine

I came across a discussion on city-data forum the other day on what people dislike about looking at homes. The following items were mentioned over and over again. Here are the Top 5 Things That Buyers Don't Like About Your House:

SMELL...Overwhelmingly, the #1 complaint among prospective buyers were unpleasant odors in the Dog smoking Cigar home. The chief offenders were smoke, pet odors, and strange cooking aromas. Some in the discussion said they turned right around and walked out because they found the smells so oppressive. Most of us are unaware of the 'peculiar' odors of our homes because we become immune to the smells - the buyers are not immune to these same odors.

CLEANLINESS...This one just boggles my mind - the #2 complaint that buyers had about the homes they viewed was that the seller simply did not bother to clean. We're not talking about home staging (which will help) or even unrealistic expectations of the home being spotless - just simple old-fashioned cleaning. Selling your home can be a bit inconvient, but when you have advance notice that a buyer is coming to view your home - clean it up!!! At the very least, remove the pile of dirty dishes from the sink.

SELLER AT HOME...Coming in at #3 is having the owners at home while the buyers are tring to view it. Most buyers felt very uncomfortable with the seller there. Many said they could not take the time to really look at the features of the home because they were in such a hurry to get away from the seller. This is a real problem for FSBOs, as they are usually the ones showing their own home.

CLUTTER...The #4 complaint is related to the cleanliness point - the dreaded clutter. We have all seen it on the home shows, many buyers have a hard time seeing your home because of all the stuff. When I was selling my small (875 sq. ft.) home, I hauled a big truckload of stuff to a storage facility. How in the world do we accumulate so much stuff?

UNFINISHED PROJECTS...Unfinished projects take the #5 spot. If you are planning on selling your home, finish up any on-going home improvement projects before placing it on the market. Homes with half-finished painting, flooring, trim, etc. gave buyers a bad overall impression.

But, none of the above matters if your home is overpriced. Buyers really hated it when the homes were priced above what the market indicates. An obviously overpriced home discourages offers because the buyer believes it is an indication of an unrealistic and unreasonable seller. The more out-of-line your price is with the current market, the longer your home will sit unsold and the more inconvenient the process is for you (the seller).

diamond

If your home is priced correctly and you have addressed the other items on this list, it will stand out like a diamond among the many lumps of coal out there.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

About the author:
Pam Simpson is an Assoc. Broker with Bob Leigh & Associates, LLC in Northwest MS. Copyright© 2009 by Pam Simpson. All rights reserved...***Top 5 Things Buyers Don't Like About Your House***

FOR BUYERS: Buying a Foreclosure, Finding a Home, Loan Info, Tax Credit, Interest Rates

FOR SELLERS: Pricing, Selling Tips

LOCAL COMMUNITY INFO: Tate County Community, Memphis Community, Southaven Community

MARKET REPORTS: Foreclosure Report, Hernando MS Report, Olive Branch MS Report, Tate County MS Report

REALTOR STUFF: NAR, Real Estate and Media, Real Estate Agents

OTHER: Rural Life, Breast Cancer Awareness, Angel Food Ministries, Property Rights, Auctions

Disclaimer: All information provided by this author may be based on information collected from several sources and is believed accurate but not guaranteed.

Posted by Pam Simpson - GRI, Broker-Assoc. on 03/11/2009 03:52 PM

Comments (76)

Tips on Selling Your Home in the Home Selling Channel

selling, selling tips

Post is included in group: Realtors®
Post is included in group: Point 2 Agent Sites
Post is included in group: North Mississippi Community Forum
Post is included in group: Mississippi Real Estate Professionals

76 Comments on Top 5 Things Buyers Don't Like About Your House

MAR

Very well said, Pam! This is a great blog topic and one that I'm sure will ignite lots of comments. The "Smell" complaint is in my top 5 too. It can be a offer killer.

Nice post... and good reminders for all. I'm reblogging...

The main point to get across is that the seller CAN'T live in a home like they normally would and sell it. They have to keep it pristine to sell. When you put it on the market, it is always show time!

Wow..I leave to try out some picture editing software and return to see a star. Thank you!

Celina- The smell factor is sometimes hard to communicate to sellers because they can't "smell" it. I have had sellers with pets that can't smell the odor that their pets leave in the home - but everyone else can.

Erica - thanks for the Reblog. That's a first!

Sarah & John - yes. When I am showing a home that obviously has young children, it is usually easier to overlook a certain amount of clutter. Most people can relate to the difficulty of trying to keep a home perpetually clean and tidy. With that being said, an uncluttered and clean home shows SO much better and allows the buyer to really see the features that sell the home.

Pam:

Great article to run! I'm passing it on ...

I used to do appraising years ago at the beginning of my career and was sometimes just amazed (and sometimes appalled) at what I would find when I arrived. All the points mentioned here are priceless for sellers to know and follow.

Best of luck to you and your clients in the coming year ...

Gene Mundt www.genemundt.com

Pam - You made 5 good points and your blog was easy to read. Well done.

This is a great list for sellers - it's true that it is hard to view an unclean and cluttered home with unfinished projects in it. At the least it's distracting. At the most, it makes the buyer feel uncertain as to whether or not the seller has taken care of other aspects of the house...

I liked the list. Home more sellers read the list

I understand the list. I go out with a lot of buyers and I have heard all of those things over and over...

Excellent post! I reblogged it to share your great insight with my sellers!!

I've done staging consultations on homes that would make your hair curl. Fortunately, if the seller is committed enough to the sales process to hire a professional home stager, they usually follow through and follow our recommendations.

Clutter and lack of cleanliness are sale killers along with all the rest you mentioned. Thanks for sharing this list.

Smell is #1 on my list, too, followed by the presence of the seller. Stinky house = No Sale!!!

Fantastic, easy-to-read post. Congrats on the star!

Nice list of five.

What is your number six? I have had a lot of buyers get annoyed when a home has burned out or non-functional basement light bulbs. Such an easy fix, and such a common home selling mistake!

Great post. Gets to the nitty gritty of selling a home.

Pam,

I'm a staging professional and you are absolutely spot on with the odors and cleanliness, although I'd give them both a tie for first place. The way you live in your home and the way you sell your house are two different things.

Cool and good stuff, I always try to inform the seller of these right off because they are pretty common.

Totally agree with the 5 points...but I must confess I am a smoker..oh my! I cannot smell it in my house but others do..but to be honest, if my deller smokes I cannot tell him/her not to smoke. I prepare the buyer and let them knoow in advance so they are not overwhelmed when they come in.

Also, if a buyer "turns around and leaves" based on the odor, how motivated were they to see the property in the first place? When RE was hot I remember seeing houses that were horrible, violating all the points above but they still bought it. I think buyers think they are in the drivers seat, and in some cases they are but please ...just a thought

Congrats on the Feature! What a compelling list for sellers to contemplate. Thanks for sharing your thoughts - I loved them all - cleanliness and clutter really are important. And smells... well I'm someone who won't even shop in stores that have a foul odor (like musty antique shops). Cheers,

You really hit the nail on the head with the being unaware that whar are familiar smells to the homeowner can be offensive to a buyer. It's not easy to do, but I try to be diplomatic in taking this subject on. Better to tell them and get some action done rather than having it on the market forever.

Thanks, Pam.

Perfect article.....the last one is pets of any size....Plus renat a storage unit for clutter.

Good post Pam. Sellers should take note. I plan to link your post to my website.

Pam,

Thank you for bring to our attention what our buyers do not want when looking at a property. My clients are also concerned about the curb appeal, the aspect of the sellers not putting away Christmas decorations when seeing the property months after Christmas.

Hi Pam ~ Such a simple yet important reminders for us all. When it comes to selling a home, one must look at it from the buyer's perspective. Really makes a difference! Well said. Thanks for sharing!

Pam,

Excellent post!

Relating to the comment about sellers not living in their house in the normal manner when trying to sell it--I remind sellers that when the house goes on the market it becomes a commodity. They expect me to do first rate marketing for them. I expect them to give me a first rate commodity to market! Most sellers understand and cooperate. The odor problem is the toughest one.

Evening Pam, Thanks for a well written post. When scheduling showings I tell the other agent it is o.k. for the seller ( as a matter of courtesy ) to wait until I arrive but ... then they must leave !

Gene-it is indeed amazing at the things you see in this business.

George-thanks for the kind words.

Emily - that is exactly the point that some of the buyers said about the homes they viewed. The messiness and unfinished projects made them suspect possible condition problems they could not readily see.

Norma-glad you liked the list. I think when an agent lists a home, all these issues should be addressed.

Lane-agreed. Thanks for stopping by.

Kristen-thanks so much for the reblog!

Michelle-thanks for your insight. The sellers who are willing to address these issues from the start are usually motivated to do what it takes.

Jennifer-smell does seem to elicit the strongest response. I have been to some houses where we had to leave the door open in order to stay in there. Even at that, we had to cover our noses.

Oh I'm loving this list. These are all SO important. I encountered nearly all of these today. One home had all 5 of these...couldn't figure out what the odor was...two, yes TWO dead mice in the toilet..floating. Hello seller...you are sitting there on your butt...can you NOT smell that?

Loving your list :)

Jon-burned out bulbs make it really hard to see the home. This list was compiled from comments by buyers but I guess if I had to list a #6, it would be not doing repairs before allowing it to be shown. If I go to show a home, especially if it is marketed as "move-in" ready and it has a leaky faucet, stuck drawers, and the carpet needs to be replaced, we start to wonder if the seller ever did maintenance on the home.

Judy-thanks for stopping by and comments are always appreciated.

Jeanne-agreed. That is why price is so important. The longer a house sits on the market, the harder it is on the seller to keep it "show" ready.

Pam, What a great list, I was trying to think what the top five might be...and got two. Cleaning? That shouldn't have to be up there, a home should be CLEAN! Thanks, I loved reading this.

Charles-Good for you. Addressing these issues up front, before the house is shown is the right time to bring them up.

Ron-I appreciate your point of view, and I understand where you are coming from having been a smoker for 20 years...but (you knew it was coming), non-smokers are usually very sensitive to the smell. They are looking to make probably the biggest purchase of their lives and depending on how heavy a smoker the seller is, the smell can permeate the carpet and even the walls. I have been in a house where someone used to smoke, but it had not been smoked in for over 1 year and the smell was still overwhelming when you go inside. A lot of buyers just can't fathom the idea of spending that kind of money to live in what smells like a pool hall. (Now, how I know what a pool hall smells like is a different story).

Amy-thanks for the congrats and comment. Isn't it funny that smells affect us the way they do. I don't like to eat at certain places because of the 'old grease' smell in them. They are popular places to eat, but I just can't get past the smell.

Wayne-you are doing exactly what you should do-address these items upfront. Thanks for stopping by to comment.

Susan-I appreciate your comments.

Larry-thanks so much! I appreciate the link.

Kathleen-ah, yes - the old holiday decorations. I was surprised that curb appeal did not make the list. Very few buyers in the discussion I mentioned brought up curb appeal, but my experience is that if we drive up to look at a house and it looks bad from the street, the buyers have already formed a bad impression of the house. Thanks for the comments.

Great post, Pam!

I wish it could be required reading for all sellers...

I have to agree with Kathleen also - seasonal decorations, especially out of season, are often very personal and therefore out of place when selling your home.

Thanks for sharing your list.

Carin-yes, it is so important to see your home through the buyer's eyes. That window that doesn't latch correctly and that drawer that sticks look entirely different when you are standing in the buyer's shoes.

Marilyn-excellent point! I will have to remember that.

Bill-thanks for the comment. It has been my experience that in addition to the seller making the buyer feel like they are 'intruding', the well-meaning seller can actually say something that convinces the buyer to NOT buy the house

Elizabeth-I know it's not funny...but I did laugh at your comment. Thanks!

Carole-you would think cleaning would be a no-brainer, but I am constantly amazed at the condition of some of the homes I have been in. I appreciate your comments.

Heather-thanks for stopping by and commenting.

GREAT POST!!! Here's my Top 5:

(1) You're in it and you're naked just walking out of the shower because your agent forgot to call you to schedule the showing.

(2) Your dog is in a crate in the kitchen barking & growling at us and all he is really trying to say is "Will you let me out? I promise I'll only hump your leg".

(3) You have closed every blind and curtain and most of the rooms have no overhead lighting-is this a funeral home?

(4) You don't want the lockbox on your front door, so I have to wade through your unmowed lawn and get covered with sticktites to get to the lockbox on the hosebib which leaks and has made a nice mud puddle for me to manuever around.

(5) You never look up in your entryway because you always enter through the garage. Only I and my client know that there are multiple wasp nests as big as our heads hanging just above the front door.The wasps buzz around us while I am trying to open the door with the key you had made at the Dollar Store that has to be jiggled in just the right way to open the lock.

Ahhh, how I love that no 2 days are ever the same in this business!!! Thank Goodness Right! (The naked homeowner story is real-thankfully it happened to the other agent that was showing the townhouse a few doors down from the one I was showing and we were working our way that way. Needless to say-we skipped that one!!)

This business requires a good sense of humor or you will never make it and stay sane! Everyday is an adventure so enjoy the ride!

This post should be sent to all your seller's. I can't get my sellers to leave sometimes!

Pam, great list. well organized thoughts, too!! I would add one thing to the list - pets left in the home... kenneled dogs or dogs out loose or yapping or barking... Dogs in the back yard. Cats that try to escape. Just about the only non distracting pets are fish. Get the rest of them gone!!!

Timing is everything. It isimportant to only mention the points that the seller can truly control.
Also, if you are in a new relationship with the seller have them read this blog instead of personally
offering the advice.

At least thats what I do hear in Key Biscayne Florida

Robin-thanks so much for the humor! Regarding #1, I had to get the key from the lockbox which was on the LP gas tank (right off the bat I should have known this wasn't going to go well). I left the buyers on the front porch while I went to retrieve the key. I came back, put the key in the door and decided I should knock. The front door had those sidelight windows on either side and I could see some guy frantically pulling his jeans on. The buyers decided to pass on that house and we went to look at the one next door.

Judy-Definitely let them know they could be hurting their chances of a sale by remaining there. At the very least, they could maybe drive (or walk if the weather permits) around the block.

Thank you for this information...I agree and I'm often amazed at what I see, not to mention what I smell. Isn't it amazing how some people live and have no clue about perception of buyers. I really liked your FSBO point as well, how true. We just don't like the seller to be hanging when we are looking. I even had one seller who pointed out a closet to us, as if we could not see it. We were simply looking for an exit strategy and did not care about the closet. Good info, thank you again.

Hi Pam -- Very true. As a realtor and stager, we see this all the time, and eliminating these obstacles can go a long ways.

Great List! You are so very right. it's amazing what just a little elbow grease can do...

What a wonderful list.

Great addition to any listing presentation.

Thank you.

Pam - awesome article! I'd think that the seller being home would be #1 on my list - but a tight race with cigarette smoke smell. Congrats on the feature!

MAR

Exactly, nothing else matters unless the price is right. Many sellers lose more than it would cost to simply finish the trip, or re-paint the walls. A gallon of paint is worth 18 dollars in the can and 2,000 dollars on the wall. That's a great return if you ask me.

Pam - Very nice article and excellent list. The same holds true for showing rentals too. Never show them until they are ready to be shown! Not everyone has the same ability to 'see' what it will look like painted, cleaned or uncluttered. Thanks for sharing.

nice list and all just plain common sense - too bad common sense is often ignored by us all

Well said, Pam! Sellers can be so oblivious to things that seem obvious to the rest of us. I guess if you've lived with it long enough, you don't notice it any more. Also good advice for people NOT looking to sell their home, but who have company - family or otherwise - frequently. Not that we have to keep the house pristine all the time (it would be nice, but it's not happening in MY house) but you'd be surprised at what people notice when they come to see you, that you don't realize becomes their topic of conversation in the car on the way home!

Well, Pam, what a wonderful list!!!

1. There ARE smells that Buyers like: paint, varnish, cleaning products. Smells that are like that brand new just-constructed house!

2. Fragrances, like plug-ins, are too much like cover ups.

3. I remember someone saying Clorox's kitchen spray cleaner just smelled CLEAN! I have carried a bottle of it for when I get to a listing before the Buyer and have a chance to spray down the toilets, maybe something in the kitchen. It makes for that "smells good!!" comment you want to hear!

4. Prepare a list of what should be done EVERY DAY to get the house ready for show: wipe down bathrooms, sweep walkway. remove trash. And then make sure your Sellers agree that the list is reasonable and that they will do it.

thax pam;

helped great deal in listening/responding to my:

a] overpriced listing

b] that discourages offers and infuriates buyers

c] indicates an unrealistic AND unreasonable Seller or is...

d] whose price is out-of-line with the current market;

e] and the house has sat unsold for almost 3 years;

f] you are so correct...If priced correctly it will ..."standout like a diamond among lumps of coal!" win the day, dave meyers

Brian-Pets can be a big distraction when trying to show a home. Being a huge pet lover, I would prefer the seller remove the pet from the home while it is being shown both for the safety of the buyers and the well-being of the pet. I do realize that sometimes it is not possible, especially when the showing is during the sellers working hours. In those cases, I would much rather see the pet kenneled than running loose in the house. Thanks for commenting.

James-This conversation should be brought up by the listing agent to the sellers before the 1st showing ever happens. Sometimes, the seller may need to hear it from more than 1 person.

Holly-I was surprised that the seller being there ranked as high as it did. Apparently, a lot of the buyers that weighed in on the discussion viewed homes when the seller was there and it was a big dislike. I have shown a home where the seller was there (not my listing) a couple of times and you could feel the tension - not a good atmosphere for buying.

Chris-thanks for your input. Your comments are appreciated.

Christianne-Right on. Most of these are cheap or free to do. Sellers don't have to spend a ton of money to do this or that...just clean & get rid of clutter!

Linda-thank you. I am glad you found it useful.

Kim-Thank you for stopping by and commenting. I had no idea that this would strike such a chord. I guess these issues are common all over.

Tom-you are so right! Painting is one of the cheapest things you can do to make a big impact. Cleaning is even cheaper.

Betty-Good points. Thanks for your comments.

Randall-Isn't that the truth!

Liz-yes, I had not thought of the same applying to company we may have. I'm with you on the cleaning part. My house is not on the market and I am not a great housekeeper. Thank goodness I live so far out that we don't get a lot of visitors.

Pam this is a good list, Your post makes me think of the worse experience I once had while showing a listed home: the seller was home...and actually smoking a cigarette while telling us all about what they had planned to do but never got done... the buyers found a different house.

Elizabeth-great advice! Thanks for the comments. I will have to get a bottle of the Clorox kitchen spray. I had to smile on your #1...I love the smell of lumber.

Dave-thanks for stopping by. Glad you found the blog useful.

Mary-thanks for the laugh. I can just picture that in my head. What are they thinking?

Pam,

This is a great article and you hit the top five right on target. The sellers just do not get it! We had a condo listed for months without the first offer and it took that long before we could finally get the sellers to leave the condo while it was being sold. Now that we have accomplished that, the market has deteriorated further and no buyers. So it is very possible that their best potential buyer was one that previewed it while they sat there watching the buyer's every move!

Jimmie McAdams CLHMS; ABR; Realtor®, (RE/MAX Island Properties; Singer Island, FL) http://www.AskMrSingerIsland.com.com/

Great list. I had a seller who, when I mentioned the smoke smell, had all the carpets cleaned, painted most of the walls and agreed to only smoke outside. Wonderful people to work with. Not all sellers are so agreeable.

I also don't like when you have to deal with pets...don't let the cat out, barking dog following you around. I have enough to deal with without worrying about animals. Best to have them crated or gone if someong is looking at the house.

Apparently there are a lot of people who agreed with me that this is a great list for sellers as it has been reblogged 12 times.

Jimmie-It is frustrating when the seller won't listen to the advice their agent is giving them.

Carolyn-That was a great seller! On the pet issue, I have offered to meet the showing agent at the home (if I am the listing agent) to take care of the pet if the seller can't make it - especially if I know the seller is not going to crate the pet. I once had a buyer client who was terrified of cats. Wouldn't you know it, one of the houses we went to had a cat dart into the living room just as we were walking in.

Christine-I am OVERWHELMED at the response.

Thank you to everyone who read, commented and reblogged. I am glad you found it useful.

nice post...probably going to "steal" a bit of it...(no, let's say creatively acquire)

Pam, All great points! I am sure we all have stories of the dirty house where we wanted to run straight home and hop into the shower... Can you imagine how bad it is when they dont know people are coming??? Congratulations on your feature!

Cleanliness and Clutter are my top two, If you can not afford a stager or storage unit, simply clean up and put the junk in the garage, under a bed, in a closet, at a neighbor or relatives house.

This is great stuff! I own a real estate appraisal business in North Hollywood, CA, and there are one or two things on your list here that can also lower the value of your home when it's getting appraised. If, for example, the comparables are between $250,000 and $300,000 and your home is in need of repairs, it will appraise for the lower end. Most people don't think of many of these things, so it's nice to see somebody trying to help them through it. Well done!

Very good Pam....I would think a close #6 would be..."It's so dark!" Open the curtains, turn on some lights!

Dave-I'm glad you liked it. I've already found one "unauthorized" version on the net. Rework as much as you wish, but please don't just copy and paste!

Robert-thanks for the congrats. I am used to very dirty homes when I show foreclosures, but you would think it is just good common sense for a seller to clean up the house when they know it is going to be shown.

DeAndrea-You are so right. Elbow grease doesn't cost anything and a clean house shows 100% better.

Adam-Thank you. In a perfect world, I would like for the seller to make any necessary repairs before the house hits the MLS.

Dave-thanks for the comment. I find the older I get, the harder it is to see without lots of light. Makes you wonder what they are trying to hide.

Pam, this is a great post - I like that you tell it like it is and pull no punches. These are things sellers absolutely have to know in order to sell their homes. I just reblogged this b/c it was so valuable. Thanks for posting!

MAR

Annie-thank you. There are some things that it is just better to come out and say plainly.

Such truths to what you read and then said in this post!!! Why is it so difficult for our sellers to grasp these easy concepts. When only 34% of listings are selling in my market and they take an average of 230 days to do so you better believe I tell all of my sellers what not to do!!! Great post!!!

Sonya-thank you for your comments. I think that some people will always look to an external source of why their house is not selling (like its the Realtor's fault) rather than admit it could be the showing condition or the price.

Carrie and Kathy Sampron Pam: I loved your post. I cannot tell you how many times we've shown a home and the smells were just . . . well you know!! :)

I know we all have stories we can tell about a home we showed that was not in the shall we say optimal condition. I remember one home where you had to navigate through small lanes that were created by the clutter.

MAR

Carrie & Kathy-thank you for your comments. You would think that with more houses in competition for the qualified buyers out there, the seller would want to really make their home shine.

MAR

Hey Pam, I'm thinking of a post on the value of re-blogging. As you know, I appreciate/d this one from you enough to reblog it, and I do have a question of you: how do you most easily "track" others' reblogging of your own posts? Is there an AR link I'm unfamiliar with, or do you just search for your post title or something? Thanks for any light you could shed...keep on rainin'! :)
BB

BB - AR just made the tracking of reblogs a whole lot easier. If you have green dots under the reblog button (at the upper right of your blog post) that means someone has reblogged your post. Just hover your curser over the dots, then click. It will bring up a box with a list of the rebloggers. You may also want to copy and paste the title or some of the content in google and it will show where it all is posted. I found an "unauthorized" post of my blog this way. In other words...someone stole my post and made it look like it was their own material.

This blog does not allow anonymous comments