Top 10 Charlotte Home Seller Tips for 2018

If you’re considering selling your Charlotte home then you may want to take inventory and identify what needs to be addressed before placing your home on the market.

First Impressions are Critical

Put yourself in your buyers’ shoes. Enter your home starting at the front door and ‘tour’ your home as though you were a buyer. When a buyer is viewing your home, remember, they are going to be critical of every single aspect of your home. **Remember, this may very well be their new home! Does your home ‘flow’ nicely? Are your colors coordinating? Are all repairs made? Does your home smell clean? Is your home bright and welcoming? What ‘feeling’ do you get when you walk through the front door? Do you feel closed-in or is open, welcoming space the dominant feeling?

Even though Charlotte home inventory is low, pricing and preparation of your home are still keys to a successful sale.

Here are 10 top priority tips for Charlotte home sellers:

The Front Door: Many of us pull into our garages, rarely ever even using our front door other than to greet guests from the inside—never seeing what our guests see as they’re standing at the door waiting for us to greet them. A clean, freshly painted front door with a new welcome mat is the best way to give your buyers a truly positive first impression. Fresh seasonal flowers in a nice pot also make your buyers feel at home before they even enter the front door!
Address any deferred maintenance: A pre-inspection is always a great idea – even newer homeowners can have hidden repairs that will be discovered with the buyers’ inspector. These items tend to elongate the list of repairs that the buyers find and put doubt in their minds as to how well the home has been maintained in general. Glaring items are important to address pre-listing such as caulking, broken seals on windows, dripping faucets, etc. Those little things also give buyers pause, wondering if there are hidden issues since the glaring ones haven’t been addressed. However, once under Contract, the larger items (HVAC, roof, crawl space/structural/fungal growth) are the deal-killers once under Contract.
Neutral colors: This is likely one of the biggest complaints buyers have when touring homes with loud or bright colored paint. The paint may have been your child’s favorite color of purple but, neutralizing that one room can make a huge difference in buyers’ opinion of your home. It’s a ‘cheap’ investment that goes a long way in getting your home SOLD! Don’t think that color doesn’t matter – it may not be a ‘spoken’ thought but, if the colors are neutral, the buyers tend to have a more positive experience while touring your home. **Remember, as all of us are busy these days, so are your buyers; buyers do NOT want to have to paint. So, if you’re thinking that the buyers would prefer to pick their own color(s), you’re going to take a ‘painting allowance’ hit that is higher than it would cost you just to do the work and neutralize NOW. Otherwise, if they don’t like the colors, they may not even consider your home.
De-Personalize: Buyers love looking at photographs and trying to ‘figure out’ your familial status…are you downsizing?…is your family growing and you’ve grown out of the house?…will the same thing happen to them? You don’t want buyers looking at your photos, you want them looking at your HOUSE!
De-Clutter: Cleaning closets and drawers are just as important as cleaning the carpets. Buyers are going to open the cabinets, drawers and closets and you don’t want them to think that you have run out of room in your house (meaning that there isn’t enough storage in your home). Get rid of it by giving it away, selling it or packing what you’re not currently using. What remains that is used, replace it in an orderly, clutter-free fashion. ** Remember, you’re soon going to be packing anyway – why not start now?
Garage: You may choose to use your garage for storage but, your buyers may want to park their cars in there. If the garage is full of furniture and boxes, the buyers can’t see that they will have a good sized garage for parking. De-clutter as above in #5 or rent storage space and clean out that garage!
Floors: Do your hardwoods need to be refinished? Does the carpet need cleaning or replaced? Gone are the days that buyers want a ‘carpet allowance.’ Buyers want move-in ready and floors are an important item that they will be looking at very closely.
Windows: Clean your windows and screens and let the sunshine IN! If you have windows with a broken seal (cloudy in between the two layers of glass), go ahead and have them replaced. This is an item that inspectors WILL find and buyers WILL ask for you to replace them. You have more time now to replace those windows than you’ll have on your hands while you’re packing to move!
Kitchen: Kitchens and baths are the most important parts of the house to many buyers. If your kitchen needs updating, go ahead and do that NOW – again, buyers do NOT want any updating to do when they move in. As our lives are so much busier than ever before, buyers during the last 4-5 years have been bypassing homes that need updates. We see it all the time – the bones are excellent but, they want move-in ready. **Remember to be sure that all cabinets, drawers, the pantry and countertops are all clean and well-organized.
Landscaping: Outdoor living areas are huge this year! Buyers want maintenance-free and want a lovely yard (or garden). Be sure that your flower beds have a few seasonal annuals blooming and fresh mulch to make a clean, finished landscape. Get rid of weeds and trim the hedges. Also, be sure that all of the children’s toys and bicycles are stored away properly and not left on the driveway or lawn.

Bonus tip for selling your Charlotte home when you do get it ready for the market: VACATE your home when potential buyers come to visit. DON’T be the elephant in the room! Your presence will make it difficult or awkward for the buyers to discuss their thoughts and feelings openly with their agent or partner. They will also rush through your home so as not to cause YOU any inconvenience with them being there.

More Charlotte home seller information:

What are home buyers looking for in a home? A move-in ready, well-maintained property. Let us help you prepare your Charlotte home for the market. Thinking of selling your Charlotte home? Give us a call and we’re happy to provide you a market analysis and free consultation. We’d love to assist you in helping you prepare your home for the market and getting your home, not just listed but, SOLD!

Let’s talk preparation! Call or text (704) 491-3310 or email DebeM@remax.net