5 Ways to Turn Off Home Buyers

When putting your home on the market, you want it to look its very best. Today’s buyers are particularly picky and are easily turned off by unpleasant home amenities that sellers may overlook.

Don’t self-sabotage your potential home sale with these eyesores.

• Pet Stuff: Even if you’ve taken care of the pet odor that usually lingers in your home, any sight of pet friendly gear can be a disincentive for a buyer. The sight of a dog toy or water bowl can give even the cleanest of homes a dirty feeling in a buyer’s mind, so remove all pet products before showing.

• Pools & Hot tubs: While these aquatic features may seem appealing to sellers, they can be a major turn off for buyers. Above ground pools and hot tubs especially can be eyesores and cause negative association with safety concerns, bacteria issues, and extra house work.

• Outdated Hardware & Decor: Perhaps one of the biggest turn offs to a potential buyer is dated amenities. This includes old doors, cabinets, unappealing ceiling fans, light fixtures and appliances. Not to mention old, ugly furniture. Make sure to give your home a modern makeover before showing it.

• Wallpaper & Popcorn Ceilings: Speaking of outdated, a major thing for sellers to consider replacing is old wallpaper and popcorn ceilings. Although wallpaper is making a comeback in the interior design world, choosing wallpaper is a very personal decision based on personal taste. What you may find appealing could totally turn off your seller, so remove the wallpaper and paint the walls neutral instead. Popcorn ceilings, another thing of the past, are also a major turn off for buyers today. Find an expert to remove this unpleasant feature or prepare to credit your buyer for the issue in order to close a sale.
• Personal Artifacts: Perhaps the number one rule in preparing your home for a showing is to eliminate the personal items. It is a psychological turn off for buyers when they see personal items such as pictures or children’s artwork hanging as this makes it nearly impossible for them to picture living there. Try strategically placing mirrors around the home instead so buyers can actually see themselves in your home, living there