7 Ways Your House Could Scare Away Home Buyers

If you plan to sell a house fast, it serves no one’s best interest to scare buyers with real estate hurdles like an unrealistic price and an uninspiring presentation.At present, buyers are lucky enough to take advantage of reasonably low interest rates and a modest inventory of home choices. We're talking about a competitive buying environment.The city of Long Beach is currently experiencing super crazy demand at the writing of this post. I mention what Long Beach home sellers still need to do to sell their home with 5 Tips to Selling a Home in Long Beach. With the mix of low rates and high demand in most cities, it's sad for the home buyers who are late to the party and get stung with the 'leftovers' that leave them feeling defeated.Still, today’s first time homebuyers feel the need to be picky. If a prospective homebuyer has never invested in anything as huge as real estate, finding the right house with the best value is a big deal.These days, homebuyers are almost stretched thin to put every cent of their home buying budget on the home’s asking price. And after they get the keys to their new home, the brand new homeowners would rather enjoy it than spend time as “weekend warriors”.Granted, there are listed homes for sale that need a ton of TLC but still slip by with minimal work and sell for top dollar. I call those “real estate unicorns”. (Hey, there’s a property out there for every one.)All in all, selling real estate relies on the home seller’s primary goal...to sell their property. And selling isn’t going to happen quickly or at the price the house deserves if home buyers "zone out" during a walk through.Here’s a list of 7 things you never want to do to scare away buyers.Dirty kitchen and bathroomKitchens and bathrooms are your money-makers. The last thing you want to do is keep buyers away from the most cherished rooms in a house. Keep the dishes clean on the regular. Or, better yet, invest in paper products and pretend it’s a party. If you’re not into cleaning bathrooms, you're better off sparing the extra expense to hire a cleaning service. It will be sooo worth it.Overgrown lawn and shrubsBuyers beware. Could someone or something pop out from behind that overgrown cypress? Trim shrubs and hedges to compliment the home. Cut the lawn once a week. The landscape is an important part of maintaining quality curb appeal. And buyers believe a home is well-cared for if it presents a manicured look.Pungent or foul odorSmells repel. Do I really need to go on? Neutralize the odors in the home to rid of pesky pet odors. Also, be mindful of what you're cooking. Strong spices and certain meats linger in the house for several days. And resist the urge to cover up the pungent odors with air fresheners; it’s a red flag for buyers. Go to the heart of the odor and neutralize the scent.Unkempt front door and hardwareDoes your front door cause buyers to assume the home is abandoned? Look at the front door. Examine it from a new visitor’s perspective. Could the front door use a fresh coat of paint? Does the hardware appear dull and weathered? Is the welcome mat frayed and worn down? Updating the home's point of entry gives the house a welcoming feel and eye-catching curb appeal.Obstructed floor planNo one will be excited walking through a house filled with extras. If buyers don't see a clear path past the front door, it could be too overwhelming to concentrate on how the house suits their family's needs. Store large, bulky furniture and reduce the crowded-feel to each room. This offers buyers the open, airy feel that keeps them moving freely through the home.Overstuffed closetsWill buyers run into an unexpected surprise in your bedroom closet? As an avalanche of clothing, shoes, and other miscellaneous items spill onto the buyer, the last thing she’ll say is, “Wow, the closet holds so much stuff.” The buyer will anxiously wonder how she could possibly fit her own possessions in that closet or any other storage space in the house. Create streamline, organized storage and you'll win over your buyers.Dark roomsBuyers don't need any reason to imagine the worse. A dark room causes a buyer to wonder what surprises could be lurking when they finally see the house in "real" light. Depending on a room's location in the home, it can be dark in the middle of the day. Open window coverings to show off the room's size and features. And if the room has an amazing view, you've got to show off that huge selling point.Buyers don't care for a scary house, except maybe once a year on an autumn night. And I can almost guarantee they're not interested in qualifying for that kind of house.What scary things have you noticed about a listed home (or you realize you're guilty of doing) you swore you'd never do?What have you got to say? C'mon, I want to hear all about it.