Page 26 - Selling secrets 5 18 2023

shoppers will decide at a glance whether they want to see
more. So, consider what a potential home buyer might think
as he or she drives up to your property for the first time.

You’ve probably seen the “We buy ugly houses” signs nailed
to utility poles. Rehabbers look for ugly houses so that they
can pay the least amount possible and “flip” the houses for
a quick profit. However, true home buyers—people looking
for a home in which to live—are not lured by ugliness and
“bargain basement” prices.

Creating curb appeal is essential to attracting interest in
your home from serious buyers. How your home looks from
the road is so persuasive that a well-prepared house may
catch the attention of buyers who did not find the written
description particularly compelling. Conversely, a neglected
house can cause a buyer previously excited by a printed or
on-line marketing listing to cruise right on by.

SEEING YOUR HOME THROUGH FRESH EYES

Try this. Go out into your street and look—I mean
really look—at your home and see if you can spot any
imperfections. Is it appealing, pristine, and well-kept, or are
there necessary repairs that you have been putting off? After
you’ve lived in a home for a long while, you’re not likely to
examine it objectively.

Listen to suggestions from real estate experts, your friends,
and/or potential home buyers about how you can make
your house show better. Then, take a drive around your
neighborhood and surrounding area and see which homes
for sale appeal to you, and note why.

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