Make Your Home Welcoming To Buyers

Despite the wise saying about not judging a book by it’s cover, when it comes to selling real estate, it’s often love at first sight … or not.

The truth is, market research shows it is often the packaging that initially attracts the buyer’s attention. Book publishers select cover designs specifically to survive “the glance test.” Likewise there have been many products that have failed to sell because of poor packaging – proving it’s what’s on the outside that counts.

The same concept holds true when selling real estate. In fact, if your home doesn’t have curb appeal, prospective buyers may never even get out of their cars. Realtors call this the “dreaded drive by.” With Hawaii’s market flattening out, sellers can’t afford to lose the attention of a single prospective buyer.

Monalisa Sabo,Realtor at Prudential Locations says that it’s not about dressing up a lousy property but rather about not wanting buyers to miss out on a good story because of an ugly cover.

“When the exterior of the house has paint chipping, dirty windows and screens, a damaged garage door, dirty sidewalks, broken fences or walls, old appliances or cars sitting in the driveway, the buyer gets the feeling that the owner doesn’t care about their house and isn’t concerned about how the buyer will perceive the disrepair,”says Sabo.”First impressions are critical.The exterior condition must be sharp in order to get buyers to want to see the inside.”

When the real estate market was booming, homes were selling almost as quickly as they were hitting the market.Today, fewer sales and flat appreciation give buyers lots of choices and time to be more selective, and challenges sellers to make their home stand out from the crowd. Sabo says the goal is to get the buyers out of their cars and into your home – one step closer to a sale.

Curb appeal basics include pressure washing or painting the home’s exterior; raking the leaves; pruning and trimming overgrown trees and bushes; washing the windows; removing toys, sheds, broken furniture, equipment or old lumber from the yard; and keeping the lawn edged, cut and watered.

Sabo recommends that you also inspect the roof to make sure it is in good condition. If buyers notice loose, damaged or missing shingles, or poorly maintained gutters, they’ll assume that lack of care in maintenance is carried through the whole house.

Then check the front door for it’s condition. Consider placing a pot of blooming flowers at your entry to enhance the welcoming feel. Try and remove anything that might be distracting.

“The condition of the house is important, but there are other factors that could turn a buyer away,”Sabo added.”If there are a hundred shoes or slippers piled on the front porch, buyers may assume that a lot of people live in the house and that its run down.”

If you decide to paint your home or the front door, the choice of color is important.

“I had a listing where the seller had painted the entire house and perimeter walls a mustard yellow,”recalls Sabo. “Many buyers took one look at the house and didn’t need to go inside.Their comments about the color were negative.”

For a lesson in marketing, visit the model homes in your neighborhood. New home builders erect model homes because they know how important it is to make a good first impression.They have likely employed designers and architects to make color selections as well as ways to make the home appear more inviting.

“It’s an emotional decision,”says Sabo. “As I walk around home exteriors with buyers, I hear comments like: ‘I wonder what the owners do for a living?’ or “I bet they have small kids,”The seller should have painted the front door before they put it up for sale,’ or ‘The seller must be upside down on their mortgage and needs to sell fast since they can’t even make the smallest repairs or mow the lawn before showing it.'”

It’s been said that a buyer makes up their mind within 30 seconds of seeing a home. If a buyer doesn’t fall in love within minutes of arriving, they’ll be off to their next appointment.This is especially true in a buyer’s market when they feel no pressure to make an immediate offer.Ask your Realtor how you can make your home more appealing.