Buyers and sellers look at issues through different eyes. When you are trying to sell your home it is a good idea to make necessary repairs, and take care of any deferred maintenance items. For example if the carpet is older with traffic patterns and the paint is looking a little dry, it is time to update and upgrade. When you live in a home for a long time you can become desensitized to the paint, carpet, and even the smell of the house. This is when a realtor can help with unbiased feedback and to give you suggestions on what will help your home sell. It is uncomfortable as a realtor to point out problems with a potential listing. The truth is, very few houses are in “ready to show” condition. Most homes have things that need to be taken care of to bring the best offer possible. If at all possible fresh paint and new carpet will create a much easier sell. These things may not bring the appraised value up very much, but they will make the home much easier to sell. Back to the title of this article. As a home buyer it is very difficult to look at the home you live in like a potential buyer will. Selecting an agent that will give you honest feedback is critical.


Sellers look at a home, first to see what they like about it, and second what they will need to change to make it “their home”. Preference items differ from items needing repair or replacement. If the house is recently painted and has new carpet it is better off than a home needing carpet and paint, even if the colors are not to the buyers liking. In this situation, the buyers will usually not deduct the cost of paint and carpet from the price of the home. Some sellers try to dodge the “old carpet and paint” issue with a paint and carpet allowance included in the listing information. The harsh reality is, if someone is looking at a home in need of paint at carpet they are already mentally deducting it from the price they will offer. In most cases the price they are thinking of to paint and carpet is usually higher than the actual cost of these items.

Hopefully this helps clarify the different lenses buyers and sellers look at homes through. When trying to sell a home it is important to remove as many obstacles as possible to make the purchase easy for the buyer. A home that is clean, updated, and looking it’s best, will bring the quickest offer. Buyers look at homes in price ranges. This means that when you list your home you will be in competition with other homes in your price range. It is a good idea to become familiar with your competition. Look at your competition online and see how your home stacks up. It might even be helpful to visit the homes in your price range. It is also important to look at similar priced homes outside of your neighborhood. Many buyers are more interested in the price than a specific location.



This blog post was shared by Kevin Richey.
View Kevin’s website HERE.