Most of us consider our home to be not only our castle, but a big investment. Sadly, few of us pay attention to nurturing this important investment by keeping an eye on what buyers are looking for now in order to prepare for that future day when we will sell.
With that in mind, I want to share with you this 2010 survey of 1,000 buyers conducted by ZipRealty. It is a "Top 10" survey, but since men and women differ slightly, it is actually a "Top 11!"
1. Garage. Most buyers want a garage. If you have a garage, my advice to you would be not to permanently convert it to another bedroom. Families are shrinking and the days of 3-4+ bedrooms are going bye bye. Convert if you must, but in a way that can be undone by YOU before you sell.
2. Master suite. Buyers want a bathroom within their bedroom. Don't have it? If you have remodeling $$$, add one. You'll love it now, and buyers will love it later.
3. Ample store space. Don't enlarge your home and remove closets. Big no no. DO put built-in storage in your garage (see #1!). DO have even a little storage shed in an inconspicuous place in the yard.
4. Guest Bedroom. This surprises me, but it shouldn't. Families are now spread out all over the country. So don't convert a third bedroom into a family room, unless YOU can UNconvert it before you sell.
5. Large closets. See #3.
6. Outdoor entertainment area. Especially here in San Diego! DO spend money on your yard! Patios with covers, greenery of some kind on automatic sprinklers, barbeque area. This is a place to spend a moderate amount of $$$. DO NOT OVERDO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD! You won't get your money out of it. Just a lot of oooohs and ahhhhs!
7. Gourmet or updated kitchen. Yes, yes, yes, yes, keep those appliances current. Buyers LOVE new appliances and solid surface countertops. Tile and grout are OUT OUT OUT, except on the floor. Put your $$$ here, and while you're at it, update those bathroom sinks, cainetry and faucets. Buyers love that, but don't overdo it (see #6 above).
8. Breakfast room or eat-in kitchen. If you have it, don't remodel and lose it. If you don't have it, find a way to fake it.
9. Men want a view. Either you have that or you don't. If you have it, don't obstruct it. Show it off with places to sit and ponder it.
10. Large yard. Any yard. We have noticed that TOO big of a yard isn't a good thing either. If you have an acre, chop off a nice chunk and make it a cozy space, and use a weedeater on the rest. Fences sell too for those kids and pets.
11. Women want wood floors. Solid wood is best, but a good quality wood-type floor works. Wood is better than all tile for crawling babies, so if you have a house that would someday sell as a family house, go for the wood in the family areas and tile in the kitchen.
Of course, any questions at all about your particular dilemma, just give me a call or an email, and I'll do my best to guide you through spending your investment dollars wisely! It DOES matter!
Source: ZipRealty.com (6/10/2010)
