What would make you buy this house

[Darcy03231]

When we bought our home the top things we looked for were:

Size (we're a big family)
Location (knew what school district we wanted to be in)
Layout

All of which you can't change.

The other things we looked at were whether the home was clean and well maintained. If the house was at the top of our budget we were looking to see if the kitchens and bathrooms had been updated, flooring updated, and that it needed little to no cosmetic work. At that price point we were also looking to make sure there was mature landscaping.

If it was at the low end of our budget again, we were looking for clean and well maintained with any repairs being cosmetic. We were also willing to do some landscaping.

We crossed off homes that needed major renovation right away such as roof, siding, foundation work, driveway, furnace etc. We really didn't want to get into that.

We ended up buying a home mid-range in our budget. It was empty at the time we bought it which made it easy to visualize our furniture/decor in it. While the paint & wallpaper weren't to our taste, they were easily changed with some time and elbow grease. The house was certainly very liveable the way it was, just not our taste. It needed no major repairs, just cosmetic.

 

[crisi]

I close on a house next Monday. Not my primary residence.

What we were looking for was a small starter home in the Twin Cities. We NEEDED:

$130k or less

Quick close (my brother in law is going through chemo and won't be working. His mother doesn't have room for him and is 73. We don't have room for him and are out in the 'burbs. We need to get him moved before the chemo makes him really ill).

NO WORK NEEDED. The house we bought had the furnace, waterheater and roof replaced within the past five years. It was clean.

Close to his mother. His mother will be the primary caregiver through treatment.

So we needed an empty house, not a short sale or bank owned, in excellent condition, within 15 minutes of my mother in law. If the house wasn't empty (the one we picked was), we wanted a house that could be moved out of quickly.

Its a little bit of a buyers market right now. Although in our circumstances, we really only had half a dozen appropriate houses to choose from. A lot of people bought houses they couldn't afford, and then dumped a LOT of money into them. I've seen little starter homes $100k under water with granite countertops and beautiful bathrooms. We couldn't wait for that sort of deal to go through the bank, but those sorts of deals are out there. And that's what you are competing with.

 

[dfchelbay]

OP here - thanks for all the responses and keep them coming. Before reading the responses I was feeling so overwhelmed at what to do, where to begin, etc. Reading the thread has given me a sense of which direction to go, and how to prioritize what I need to do to get the house ready for sale.

I really like the home manual post. I have all that information, but not all in one place. I'll be putting a manual together for this house, and it's future owner.

I do have a question about paneling. We have one small wall that has paneling on it. It's a honey color, like a nice wood floor. Not at all like the dark paneling of the seventies. It matches the trim, and a ledge/counter that is about 20' long in another area of the house. It's very nice looking, and not dated looking. What are your thoughts on "this" paneling. Would this be a turn off to a potential buyer?

All input is appreciated. So, keep your responses coming. Thanks again.

 

[Darcy03231]

OP here - thanks for all the responses and keep them coming. Before reading the responses I was feeling so overwhelmed at what to do, where to begin, etc. Reading the thread has given me a sense of which direction to go, and how to prioritize what I need to do to get the house ready for sale.

I really like the home manual post. I have all that information, but not all in one place. I'll be putting a manual together for this house, and it's future owner.

I do have a question about paneling. We have one small wall that has paneling on it. It's a honey color, like a nice wood floor. Not at all like the dark paneling of the seventies. It matches the trim, and a ledge/counter that is about 20' long in another area of the house. It's very nice looking, and not dated looking. What are your thoughts on "this" paneling. Would this be a turn off to a potential buyer?

All input is appreciated. So, keep your responses coming. Thanks again.

I would fill the grooves in and paint it the same color as the other walls.

 

[lastminutemom]

The advices on this thread is invaluable but...

PRICE is what sells houses right now in most markets. Make sure you understand what homes are selling and at what prices. You have to factor in foreclosures if there are a lot in your area.

Do all this before you spend much $ on the house.

There are some neighborhoods across the country where homes simply aren't selling and if they are, it if for far below what the owner paid for them or even market value.

People are looking for a deal. In most markets, buyers hold most of the cards.

 

[Judique]

OP here - thanks for all the responses and keep them coming. Before reading the responses I was feeling so overwhelmed at what to do, where to begin, etc. Reading the thread has given me a sense of which direction to go, and how to prioritize what I need to do to get the house ready for sale.

I really like the home manual post. I have all that information, but not all in one place. I'll be putting a manual together for this house, and it's future owner.

I do have a question about paneling. We have one small wall that has paneling on it. It's a honey color, like a nice wood floor. Not at all like the dark paneling of the seventies. It matches the trim, and a ledge/counter that is about 20' long in another area of the house. It's very nice looking, and not dated looking. What are your thoughts on "this" paneling. Would this be a turn off to a potential buyer?

All input is appreciated. So, keep your responses coming. Thanks again.

It's really difficult to give an opinion (of your panelling) without seeing at least some pictures of what you are talking about.

Years ago when I sold real estate (I was just moonlighting from my regular job but I learned a lot!) I quickly learned that all sellers think their homes are not dated, worth more,etc. It's just the way it is.

My daughter has some panelling she can't stand. I like it, but I'm from the era when it was popular. It's not the 4 by 8 panels - it's real wood panelling and prohibitively expensive now - she wants it ripped out and drywalled and painted neutral or sage or something current. I could live with it, but she's more a typical buyer in today's market.

The manual is a nice idea - there was one left for us when we moved in.

Clean and fresh paint and no clutter are the basics. Fix anything broken or out of service, even if you have never been bothered by the broken doorbell, loose drawer handle, cracked tile, missing caulking, window screen with a tear in it, etc,etc.

 

[Darcy03231]

The advices on this thread is invaluable but...

PRICE is what sells houses right now in most markets. Make sure you understand what homes are selling and at what prices. You have to factor in foreclosures if there are a lot in your area.

Do all this before you spend much $ on the house.

There are some neighborhoods across the country where homes simply aren't selling and if they are, it if for far below what the owner paid for them or even market value.

People are looking for a deal. In most markets, buyers hold most of the cards.

While I agree with this to a certain extent, if the OP's house doesn't need major repairs, has a neutral color scheme, mature landscaping and is clean and decluttered, her house house will most likely seller faster and for a higher price than one that needs major repairs, is dirty/cluttered, no landscaping and has wallpaper/weird colors, taking into account that both homes are the same design/size/layout/school district/location.

Whether the housing market is good or bad, most people have a price range they want to be in.

 

[2manypets]

OP here - thanks for all the responses and keep them coming. Before reading the responses I was feeling so overwhelmed at what to do, where to begin, etc. Reading the thread has given me a sense of which direction to go, and how to prioritize what I need to do to get the house ready for sale.

I really like the home manual post. I have all that information, but not all in one place. I'll be putting a manual together for this house, and it's future owner.

I do have a question about paneling. We have one small wall that has paneling on it. It's a honey color, like a nice wood floor. Not at all like the dark paneling of the seventies. It matches the trim, and a ledge/counter that is about 20' long in another area of the house. It's very nice looking, and not dated looking. What are your thoughts on "this" paneling. Would this be a turn off to a potential buyer?
All input is appreciated. So, keep your responses coming. Thanks again.

IMHO, paneling is paneling...I love the idea of filling in the grooves and repainting, or drywall over it if it can be done cheaply. When I see paneling, I see a project that will have to be done before moving in. From what I heard from my realtor, paneled houses are harder to sell. It just seems so old fashioned and neglected. But this is just my own personal opinion.

 

[FINFAN]

New, QUALITY windows....type that are easy to clean...I know it sounds crazy but I would walk from a house or look for a 20,000 price reduction if I had to replace all the windows. At the very least get them cleaned, sills and trim painted, make sure all the screens are without any tears or holes...
I also would not like a musty smelling basement, if you have one, add as many lights as you can and make it as homey as you can, or at least empty so the potential can be seen at first glance.
When de-cluttering, take that to the inside of all your cabinets as well and garage, not just surface/closet areas. If you have any school info, homeowners outings etc have that available, if you are close to the train, highway or any other commuter plus, stress that. This will sound extreme, but I know a friend who even had her place exterminated 2 months out of listing it, JUST to make sure she was pest free during showings etc. She is not one to tolerate any bugs as it is, so she was really on top of it. Quite a few spiders etc began showing up dead after the treatment so she was glad she had gotten it and was able to have that concern eliminated.. Lastly, not sure how friendly you are with your neighbors, but if they are approachable about not letting their lawn go too long etc., I know we have 2 neighbors trying to sell so we try to keep on top of our lawn/yard even more so now to not give a buyer any reason to think we are shoddy neighbors. Good luck, and honestly whatever price you are thinking oflisting for, drop it 10 grand right off the bat. HARSH I know, but you are entering the latter half of the year....a lot of folks like to buy a home prior to school starting.

 

[tinkrebell]

Take a Magic Eraser to every surface. Even if it looks sort of clean, chances are the paint has sapped up some dirt somehow, and it's dingy until you start wiping. Bright trim makes me go back for a second look!

 

[Sparkleshine]

Lighting fixtures, doorknobs, and faucets will really date a house. If they need updating this can be a quick update that will really change the look of a house. I always notice peoples fixtures when I visit their home.