Sellers More Willing to Work on Buyer Appeal

Home sellers are more willing to make changes to their home to make it more competitive in the market and more attractive to potential buyers, according to a new survey by Coldwell Banker Real Estate of 700 of its agents nationwide. So what are sellers willing to do to better their home’s presentation? The survey found: 94 percent of the agents surveyed said their sellers are removing clutter and making cosmetic updates, including minor repairs and fresh paint. 76 percent of U.S. sellers are willing to “depersonalize” their home. (60 percent of Canadian agents say their sellers are willing to depersonalize) 59 percent of say sellers are even bringing in new home decorations or furniture to help make the home more appealing. “When marketing your home, it’s important to help buyers imagine themselves living in the property. De-cluttering and de-personalizing is crucial to this process,” says Susanita de Diego, Coldwell Banker Canadian Consumer Specialist. Homes are competing for buyers so homes “presented with a minimum of clutter and distracting personal items ... will appeal to buyers and improve their chances of a successful sale.” The survey also found that American sellers are more willing to get competitive on price too. Fifty-one percent of the agents surveyed said they’ve found their home sellers more willing to price their homes competitively than compared to last year. What Buyers Want The survey also revealed what is guiding home buyers in their home search. Thirty-three percent of the real estate agents surveyed say that new or updated kitchens are the most important home feature for home buyers. Meanwhile, 14 percent say an open floor plan and 12 percent say a new or updated bathroom are the most important home buyer features today. The survey found that only 1 percent of the real estate agents say that their buyers rate entertainment rooms or finished basements as the most important home feature. The most common motivation getting buyers moving: A new baby or growing family, according to the survey. Other lifestyle factors like getting married, a divorce, or retiring also are big motivators for wanting to find a new home. Source: Coldwell Banker Real Estate