You renovated the kitchen in your Stone Oak home to bring it up to modern buyers' standards. With spring cleaning complete and curb appeal on point, you're ready to place your property on the market. So, you hire a great San Antonio REALTOR® and started the marketing process. But buyers aren't exactly flooding your agent's inbox with offers. Why? They say "the devil's in the details". You'd be surprised at what "silly" things might hurt your chances for a home sale.
"Silly" Things That Might Hurt Your Home Sale Chances
Window Blinds
When buyers walk through a San Antonio home, they expect that things like window blinds will be included. And, unless specifically stated otherwise in the sales contract, they should be left for the new owners. In fact, they are considered a part of the property since they are actually anchored into the home itself. So, if the buyers don't see these blinds in the window on their final walk-through, they could pull out of the sale altogether. Yes, it sounds silly to walk away from a home sale over something as simple as blinds. But it does happen. If you love your blinds that much, replace them with something else before you list your property on the market. Otherwise, make sure to stipulate that the blinds go with you upon completion of the sale.
Stinky & Sloppy Surroundings
Do you have pets? Are your window screens torn? Loose tiles, squeaky hinges, and rattling doorknobs all make a buyer feel like you haven't properly taken care of your San Antonio home. Stinky smells and sloppy surroundings may derail a home sale because the buyer worries that other, much larger problems lurk below the surface. That lowers their offer. Walk through your home with "buyer's eyes". Then, fix everything you can that sticks out no matter how "insignificant" you think it may be.
Inactive Lights & Detectors
When was the last time you changed the batteries in your smoke or carbon monoxide detectors? Have you just not gotten around to replacing the bulb in a seldom-used light? Again, while these feel like "silly" things to complain about, they give off an unkempt feeling to a house. What would really be silly is if you lost a sale over something so simple to rectify.
Extra Creaky
Something else that might kill a home sale is extra creaky floors. While even new homes may come with their own set of settling sounds, flooring with extra "creaks" worries many buyers and home inspectors. Texas requires inspectors to be licensed. A good licensed home inspector should know the difference between what constitutes normal wear and tear and what should be of concern for buyers.
Where are the Cover Plates?
The longer we're in a home, the more likely we are to let the little things go. Maybe you painted a room years ago and forgot to replace the cover plate on the electrical outlet. Or you redecorated and thought the light switch needed to be changed as well. But you never found anything that looked quite right. So, you left it bare. Even something as small as a cover plate could hurt your chances of a home sale. Good news! Go to the home improvement store, purchase the cover plates needed, and install them where they're missing. Simple. Easy. Inexpensive. Anyone who knows how to use a screwdriver can handle this job in minutes.
Unwillingness to Negotiate
Finally, almost anything's negotiable as long as you're willing. The buyer likes your pool table. Maybe the patio furniture catches their fancy. They love basketball and think the portable hoop in your backyard would be great for the kids or a bit of one-on-one with their buddies on weekends. If that becomes a sticking point in negotiations on your Stone Oak home, seriously consider throwing it in. These can always be replaced down the road, especially if you end up with the sale price you really want.
Outdoor Smoking Ban in San Antonio Public Places
Just a reminder: beginning this Saturday, June 1st, smoking and tobacco products will all be banned in all parks and plazas in and around the City of San Antonio. In an effort to create a healthier atmosphere for all residents, no one may smoke or use any tobacco products in any of the City's parks, greenway trails, the River Walk, Market Square or La Villita. San Antonio joins 50+ other Texas cities in their efforts to reduce their dependence upon tobacco and nicotine. They hope a reduction in public smoking allows more people to enjoy the great outdoors and encourage them to use these public spaces to increase their physical fitness.
LUX Move Up* by Christine Aldrete Banks, CRS, SRS, RSPS
www.StoneOakLiving.com
830-279-8678