For most of 2014 the Columbus housing market suffered from very low inventories.
With more buyers looking for homes, you would have expected that new listings “fly off he shelf”. Actually, some homes sell in a single day. You probably heard stories of houses selling above asking price with multiple offers.
But other listings have been sitting on the market for half a year or more.
Why?
Today’s Home Buyers are Picky
Home buyers want modern chic, not do-it-yourself projects.
In today’s market it’s not enough to have a clean and move-in ready home. Home buyers are looking for updates, they want new kitchens and bathrooms, white trims and hardwood floors.
Most home buyers don’t want to do any work themselves, even if the home is priced below market value.
Here’s an example …
Last year I sold this 3 bedroom ranch on McIntyre Drive (Dublin Schools) for $165,000. It was clean, move-in ready and the seller was motivated. It took 57 days to sell.
Just a year later the same house was listed again. It was completely remodeled with a modern kitchen, new bathrooms, white trims and hardwood floors. It sold for $199,000 in just 2 days.
Take a look at before and after pictures of the kitchen (below) to see the stunning improvement.
Which Upgrades Are Most Important?
If you want to sell your house for top dollar, you have to wow buyers with modern, urban chic, quality upgrades, top of the line appliances and the open concept layout they see on HGTV.
Watch any home remodeling show on HGTV and you will see what buyers want. Almost any remodeling project shown on that station is about opening up your living space.
Another great source of wonderful design ideas is Houzz.com. There you will find countless remodeling projects, ideas for upgrading your home and even links to the architects and contractors that managed the jobs.
A Real Life Case Study
If you want to see more before and after photos of what sells today, right here in Central Ohio, please read my case study on The Successful Sale of a Dublin Home in Just 6 Days.
This house was listed with another agent for a month without a single offer. Although the home was less than 10 years old, it was cluttered and not appealing to buyers. When the seller hired me, I recommended critical upgrades. We painted and staged the house and sold it in less than a week.
Do you want to learn how to prepare YOUR home for a quick sale?
Call or text me at (614) 975-9650!