In the third part of our Series “Tips for Selling Your Home Faster and For More Money”, we address the topic of decorating allowances.   

Question:  Do Buyer’s Prefer Decorating Allowances or Do They Buy the Homes that already have the Work Done?

Answer:   Home Buyers overwhelming chose property that is in move-in condition, versus, outdated homes that offer decorating, carpet or paint allowances.  

Reason:  First, an unappealing home is an immediate turnoff.  It is very difficult for most people to picture how a home would look, if offensive eyesore’s were removed.   So, if the property isn’t exceptionally cheap, the potential deal will end before it begins.  Secondly, buyers always question why the homeowner wasn’t willing to do the work, what else may be wrong that they can’t see and why they should put forth the effort, anyway.   Thirdly, there are thousands of distressed properties to chose from.  No one would be interested in purchasing a nasty headache, even if they could picture themselves living there, unless the home was priced thousands of dollars under the market?    

Seller Must Do’s:  a) If you have carpet over hardwood flooring, immediately remove it and refinish the floors.  b)Repaint.  Paint is inexpensive and offers more bang for the buck than any other improvement a seller can make.  Choose neutral colors (tour builder models or new homes for idea’s).  Soft yellows or golds are warm and inviting.  Peaceful, soft greens and blues are great for bedrooms because they are restful to the eye.

Same shot, after repainting with a neutral color.

If you selling the purple entry home with a paint allowance or selling the same home with a neutral entry and no allowance, ask yourself which home you would honestly be interested in seeing more of?   What is your first impression?  Which home would you pay more for??   This is exactly what your potential buyer thinks, too.

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