Austin Home Buyers, First Impressions Matter!
As potential home buyers pull into your neighborhood, they are looking around to see what they can see and feel what they can feel.? They are looking for the good and the bad and they are already beginning to make a decision concerning your home. Seems unfair, huh?? They haven?t even seen your house and it?s already on the judgment seat! But, you can?t worry about what you don?t have control over when you?re trying to sell your home fast.? If someone hates your neighborhood, then they are not a qualified buyer for your home. In actuality, they will probably not buy ANY house in your neighborhood. So, what do you have control over then?? The answer is this: What they see from the time they pull in front of your home to the time that they leave.
I have discovered that most people, because of our emotional make-up, determine if they like a home within the first few things they see. We buy houses based on a series of quick judgments of the first few things we notice. These things ?swing the pendulum? in our minds either towards the positive or towards the negative concerning a home. Once this initial swing has been made it is an uphill battle to swing it in the other direction. For example, if a buyer pulls up to your home and the first thing they notice is uncut grass and untrimmed bushes, the pendulum has swung towards the negative. To reverse this, it is going to require some great things inside of the house. Sounds stupid, I know, but, once again, most buyers are too emotional to help such things and you have to take this into consideration if you?re trying to sell your home fast.
This brings us back to the title of this article, ?first impressions? and why they are so very important to sell a home fast and for the highest amount. So what are some practical things to look for concerning the first impressions of your home? The curb appeal should be of the utmost importance. To gain a view into the buyers? perspective, stand in front of your house and look at it objectively. What do you see?? Are there gutters hanging down?? Is the front door ugly? If so, replace it or paint it. The front door can create an emotional response in the buyer like nothing else can. Another tactic to boost your house?s curb appeal is to power wash the driveway, sidewalks, and walkways. This will significantly clean up the look of your house?s exterior. Additionally, the landscaping needs to be the best your budget can afford. Great landscaping could be a major selling point. You should also keep the yard neatly mowed during the time that your home is on the market.
Another thing to look at if you?re trying to sell a house now is the mailbox. Is it leaning? Is it ugly? If so, straighten it up and paint the mailbox to match the color scheme of the house. Additional items to look at as you assess your house?s curb appeal are: the door knob, the exterior light fixtures, the address numbers and the garage door. Is the door knob cheap or ugly?? Are the exterior light fixtures old and outdated? Are the numbers on the house nice? Try to buy the biggest and the nicest address numbers available and make sure they are neatly positioned. These minor things will help you sell a home fast. Also, is the garage door beat up?? Is the roof missing shingles? Are there any eye sores that can be seen from the road such as: toys, trash, junk storage, etc? Fixing or cleaning these things up will significantly boost your curb appeal and will also help get your house sold. Lastly, you should consider getting a nice paint job on the exterior. This can be costly, but does go a long way.
If the buyer sees a clean, well-maintained house on the outside, they will automatically assume that the inside is just as well cared for. This will ?set the tone? as they walk through the rooms of your house. The potential buyer will now look for reasons to buy the home instead of reasons why they shouldn?t buy! Now, minor negatives turn into positives for the potential home buyers. For example, the master bedroom may be upstairs, but the buyer will say, ?I know I said I wanted the master downstairs, but I sure could use the exercise!?
When our family, as professional Austin home buyers, purchases a property to rehab and sell, we try to look through the eyes of our potential buyer. Everything we do concerning the home revolves around that vantage point. When you think about your house?s curb appeal, try to keep the buyers? perspective in mind. The curb appeal is very important, and what your potential buyers see as they initially walk up to the home is what will solidify your home as the one they are ready to make an offer on!
