Glaring and ugly choice of paint? Exercise equipment cluttering up the kitchen? Weird and unsightly family photos located all over the house? Don’t let it bother you or affect how you see a property.
Ask your real estate agent and they will have plenty of stories about houses with a number of flaws. Filthy stained carpets, bathrooms that have cracks running down the walls, and appliances that have not been updated in decades.
The seller is not required to make sure that their home is in a presentable condition before putting it on the market and showing it to potential buyers. But a lazy seller can be an upside for the right home buyer.
Below are three unsightly things that may be off-putting, but should not stop you from considering making an offer on the property. Especially if the location, layout, or building is still right for you.
Ugly wallpaper and tired old dirty carpets
Turn key properties that are ready to move in are popular with today’s potential buyers. Most people lead busy lives and don’t have the time to take on a large renovation project when buying a home, this is certainly true of the always connected younger generation of home buyers.
However, replacing old carpets with new carpet or flooring and painting the interior of a property doesn’t have to be too time-consuming and expensive, and can easily be completed before moving in.
If a seller is unwilling to replace their tired and worn old carpets or give the interior of their home a fresh coat of paint in a neutral color, they are damaging the chances of finding a buyer and a good price for their home.
A fresh paint job and new flooring won’t cost a fortune and shouldn’t take much longer than a week, and can change the whole feel of a property.
Rooms that are being used for odd purposes
It is surprisingly common to see rooms in the home being used for a purpose that they were not designed for. Many people use a spare room as a home office. Some people even use the dining room as a gym and the bathroom as a walk in wardrobe.
However, just because the current occupier uses a space for a certain purpose, it doesn’t mean you have to do the same. Try to look beyond the odd use of rooms and try to forget that the seller lives in the property.
After the seller has moved out, the exercise equipment in the dining room will be gone and the walk in wardrobe can easily be turned back into a bathroom.
An overpoweringly strong presence of the current home owner
When a property is adorned with personal photos, diplomas, and possessions that belong to the seller, it can difficult for the potential buyer to picture themselves living in the property. The homes that are most appealing to buyers are neutral and don’t have an overpowering sense of the current owner.
Worse than just the possessions of the current occupier is when the seller is actually present while the property is shown to potential buyers. It creates an uncomfortable feeling for all involved. The buyer feels that they have to be on their best behavior and that interferes with them exploring the home properly. They feel restricted in voicing their opinions on the home and see themselves as a guest in the home, rather than a potential owner.
A property that is too personalized or where the seller is regularly present for viewings can stay on the market for a long time, and often gain a bad reputation as more time passes. However, a potential buyer can use this to their advantage to acquire the property below the seller’s asking price.
The sellers that unknowingly sabotage the sale of their home often offer an opportunity to buyers to hit a price point under budget when making an offer. Most of the buyers in today’s market have a hard time looking beyond the seller’s clutter, over personalized design and style, or customized changes to the property.
Try to look beyond the seller’s changes and if a home is in a good location with a nice floor plan you should consider whether you can transform the property and make the home the one you’re looking for.
Alex Saenger and the Saenger Group are Top 1% Maryland Real Estate Agents serving the Washington DC Metro area. We are licensed Realtors based in Rockville, MD at Keller Williams Capital Properties.
