Condition and Pricing

Posted on Friday, October 19th, 2007 at 9:33am.


Perhaps the two most important factors in any home sale are the condition of the home and how the home is priced. Condition and pricing can very easily make or break a sale (the latter leaving a home stalled on the market and susceptible to price reductions or lack of interest). Buyers are looking for a home that presents an impressive and attractive package both in respect to how the home looks and in how the home is priced compared to other like homes. Without a good impression and a good price, a home is almost impossible to sell, which can be difficult to overcome and stressful to deal with (especially for the sellers).

 

The reality of the real estate market is that homes need to present a unified and desirable visual image to buyers. This good impression is a combination of curb appeal and a clean, welcoming interior. Buyers want a home that is in good condition because they want to know that the house has been well cared for. If you aren't sure about how your home will show, take some photos of it and compare them to other homes that are listed in your area. How does it look? Try asking some friends or neighbors about which areas of the house could use some improvement. Be ready for the fact that you may have to spend some money to get the home to a point where it can compete on the market. Staging is a great idea if you are looking to improve the interior look of the home. With all of the homes for sale on Charleston’s real estate market right now, staging is almost becoming necessary in order to sell a home. Buyers are expecting more and more from homes, and they will naturally gravitate towards those homes that show well.

 

Pricing is a tricky game. Your Realtor should be able to give you some indication of where to price your home. Realtors calculate this number (which is usually a range) by comparing other homes for sale in the area along with homes that have sold recently. It is important to note the range that your Realtor specifies, since pricing your home above that range will typically result in reduced interest in the home. The pricing must be competitive in order to sell a home in today’s market.

 

Be sure to pay attention to the condition and pricing of your home, since they all but determine whether it sells. Also, spend some time talking with your Realtor to discuss your home’s condition and to decide the proper price for your home.