If you are trying to sell your home this summer, aside from price, the most important aspects may be what you are not thinking of mentioning. Your real estate agent will do the majority of your home’s marketing, but you play a vital role as well in terms of making the best moves for what buyers are interested in the most. Review the following suggestions in order to make sure your potential buyers know everything they need and want to know about your property.Â
Location, Location, Location
Everybody is familiar with this old real estate adage. However, many home sellers still forget to market their location aside from the home’s description online. If you have visiting buyers, make sure to divulge commute times to major business hubs and distances to amenities, downtown areas and family friendly hot spots. Relocating and first-time home buyers likely don’t have a depth of knowledge about your neighborhood. Sure, they can pull up a map, but that doesn’t paint the whole picture. A home might have quick access to the highway or be within walking distance of the OSU Cascades and Central Oregon Community College campuses. Others could be minutes from top employers like the St. Charles Medical Center, JELD-WEN, the Les Schwab corporate headquarters, or the Sunriver and Mt. Bachelor resorts.
Similarly, everybody knows that school districts matter when selling a home. While Bend home buyers have plenty of great schools to choose from, simply being in a certain school district doesn’t tell the whole story. According to a 2013 National Association of REALTORS survey of recent home buyers, 22 percent listed proximity to local schools as a deciding factor in their home purchase. Beyond listing the school district, sharing information about your own children’s school and its proximity could be important to potential buyers and provide real experiences to base their decision on.
Senior Friendly Housing Updates
For decades people have been talking about the economic and social impacts of the baby boomer generation retiring. Every month, more than a quarter-million Americans reach the age of 65 — a trend that will continue until 2029. Having watched their parents live out long periods in rest homes and nursing facilities, boomers seem determined to take a different path and age independently in the comfort of their own homes. As a result, demand for senior-friendly features is skyrocketing. That means homes with a first-floor master suite, single-level floor plan, low maintenance landscaping, wide doorways and few stairs offer premium value to many prospective home buyers over age 55. If you have any of these features, or are planning to update, consider one of these options as they are probable for a good return on your investment.
Power Play
Home buyers young and old are keenly aware that one of the largest ongoing expenses in maintaining a property is the energy required to live in it comfortably. A whopping 85 percent of the new home buyers surveyed by the National Association of REALTORS stated that heating and cooling costs were an important factor in their home choice. Energy efficient appliances, double or triple-pane windows, new insulation, solar-powered water heaters and energy efficient lighting are key selling points to make known to your real estate agent. And again, if you are planning on updating anything in your home the energy efficient improvements have a very high return on investment since most of them deal with the main systems of your home.
Space Is The Place
Space is a hot commodity for those moving from apartments and small condos. Be sure to highlight any walk-in closets, extra closets, storage space, pantries, or convenient built-in organizational units like well-thought out shelving or clever space savers. If you are drawing attention to these features, make sure they are expertly organized. Leave half of the closets and shelving empty in order to make the spaces seem larger.
Energy Efficient Elements
According to the National Association of REALTORS, two-thirds of consumers are interested in green homes and buildings. Some are even willing to pay extra for it. While water and energy efficiency are the paramount concerns, “green” touches such as an established organic garden, rain barrels, a backyard compost bin or a well established recycling center can help sway like-minded buyers.
In today’s competitive housing market, it helps to paint a picture of your home that includes more details than just the number of bedrooms and the square footage. Take a moment to think about your home and neighborhood’s distinctive features, and bait prospective buyers with the irresistible details they’re searching for. If you need further questions answered or are interested in selling your home this summer, please give us a call. For more information on the selling process please consult our Definitive Guide to Selling Your Home:
