Home buying is an emotional experience. Those feelings can often run the gamut and can get intense. In an ideal world, those feelings would focus on deep love, and happy anticipation. Unfortunately, in place of those jolly thoughts buyers sometimes hang a hard turn into anxiety and hard cold fear.
In the game of real estate, as a seller, you are stuck with the hand you are dealt. Your home “is what it is”. But it may be possible to take out some of the low cards, to make for a nicer game.
In these parts, some of the scary cards for buyers are: Septic systems, mold and moisture, radon gas, asbestos, termites, high tension power lines, even chimneys. Especially for families with young children, any issue that has health implications is particularly fraught with fear.
So what is a seller to do? As much as it is within your control, you may attempt to ameliorate the power of any of those fear factors. When possible, it is often wise to invest in testing and if at all possible, treatment. If the results of testing and treatment are available to the buyers, that may quell the fear.
If possible, it is wise to assemble reassuring info about the issue at hand. Hard copies of pamphlets, as well as websites should be made available.
As a seller, you might be inclined to think: That sounds like a lot of work! Oh yes, it is work, and expensive work at that. Some of these suggestions are of course predicated upon the availability of the resources of funds and time.
So why not just let the chips fall where they may, and address any issue as it may present itself? There are several reasons to take a pro-active stance on this. First, the documents show that you are as seller are conscientious, and that you have the resources to care for the home. Buyers are quick to pick up on signs that you as the seller are or are not deferring maintenance. Reassurance of good care can only stimulate buyers’ interest in your home.
If you wait until a buyer conducts his own inspection, you run the serious risk of an unpleasant surprise. Then fear may overwhelm the buyer, and they may bolt, never to return. In the context of a significant transaction, taking some of these things off the table is really like buying insurance that may keep your deal moving forward. Fewer landmines to step in mean a greater chance of trotting smoothly to the finish line.
