Is Your Home Scaring Away Potential Buyers?

Your home may not be a creepy house of horror, but in today’s real estate market, dated fixtures and finishes may have a frightening effect that scares away potential buyers. Here are a few hauntingly-horrifying examples:

Shiny Brass Bathroom Fixtures and Light Fixtures: Nothing makes a homebuyer shriek louder than the glare of shiny brass towel holders, shower door trim, faucets and light fixtures. Replacing these spine chilling fixtures with more updated brushed nickel or brushed brass will not only give your home a more updated feel, but make your house a little less scary.

Carpet in Bathrooms and Eating Areas: Just the thought of what lurks in the carpet fibers makes most buyer’s skin crawl. This horrifying trend from the 80s is an easy fix and can be done at a relatively low cost. Find a nice tile or manufactured hardwood (depending on the area you are updating) that coordinates with other flooring in your home. BEWARE…when making this update avoid the hauntingly- horrifying multiple flooring nightmare. There is nothing more terrifying then a home where every room has a different flooring. Stick to 2 or 3 floorings throughout the house.

Faux Paint and Wild Colors: Like picking Halloween candy…select a paint color that most buyers favor. Your current paint scheme may work with your decorating tastes, but it may petrify potential buyers. To spook as few as possible, you may want to give your home a fresh coat of paint. This simple update can transform your home from chilling to appealing. In today’s market, buyers are still favoring grays and taupe.

Outdated Cabinets and Hardware: If your kitchen gives you goosebumps but has good bones, painting your cabinets can be just what the witch doctor ordered. Mix up colors on upper and lower cabinets, or on cabinets and islands to add richness. In addition, by adding updated hardware you can take your cabinets from terrifying to stunning.

As a seller, you may think it makes more sense for a buyer to update the home after they have purchased it, so they can tailor it to their own tastes. However, the reality is in today’s market most buyers aren’t willing to purchase a dated home. Buyers either don’t have the foresight to see how they can transform the home and make it their own; they don’t have the time to update the house; they don’t have the money to make the changes; or they have an unrealistic idea of the costs involved with updating. As a result, many buyers end up purchasing a turnkey property or new build home. Often, homes that need updating sit on the market longer and end up being sold at a discount.