Secrets To Getting Great Value When Buying A Home

A lot of people who are looking for a home miss a lot of good places. Maybe they don't like the furniture and wallpaper and paint colors. In their disapproval of the décor they miss the important characteristics of the property completely. They cannot picture themselves living there because the current owner's quirky personality is stamped everywhere, perhaps emphatically. Their photos, paintings and art, furniture, colors, and collections overwhelm the structure and the looker, too. A lot of the stuff you see in houses is garbage no one threw away yet.

A lot of buyers are blind to the potential of a home because they can't see past the stuff. It's the big reason many homes are slow to sell. The junk takes up all the attention of potential buyers while hiding the possibilities of the actual structure.

People forget they are only buying the house and the attachments to the house, not all that junk that's in it. Sellers don't realize what the problem is. They only know the house isn't selling. Some houses would actually sell better empty.

But all that stuff is superficial and may be hiding real value.

It's better for all sellers to package their houses for resale as much as they can. Realtors try to tell sellers what to do, but they won't do it. Most sellers never really understand how much they really need to clean up to sell their home.

But think about it. There are 2 benefits to really cleaning up when you get ready to sell a home.

First cleaning up involves some labor but not much $$$.

And secondly, and best of all it will make a house seem bigger and more attractive to a buyer.

A buyer who can go into a structure that has not been packaged properly and ignore the superficial decorations may luck into unperceived value, too. You do want to look at some things.

1. Is the house big enough?
2. Does it have the right number of bedrooms and baths?
3. Are plumbing, HVAC and electrical good?
4. Is it the right neighborhood for you?
5. Is the roof good?
6. Is the foundation good?
7. And is the price right for the area, maybe even a bargain?

Just look at the stuff that counts or enlist the aid of a good inspector. His advice can help your bargaining efforts at contract time. The paint and clutter are easy to fix.

The previous owner will move his stuff out when he moves. Clean out the sad decorating and many houses can take on a new incarnation. The old wallpaper can be stripped from the walls and new paint is at the paint store, and suddenly the house can be ALL YOURS and maybe really cheaply.

When you are looking for a home learn to ignore the current owner's stuff and look at the building itself. I once knew a woman who was looking for a home in a particular school district. She finally found a very dirty house that she was able to buy far below market value. She found moldy dishes in the sink in the kitchen and other messes that had to be cleaned up before she would let her family move into the house, but she was good at cleaning. When she finished that big job they lived comfortably for many years in the house.

Some houses just need updating, some need better décor, some need more, but there is lots of potential out there, even in the current real estate market. If you need a good place to live and can stay in a house for years, you can get what you want and maybe get a bargain, too. Just learn to look past the stuff that will leave with the old owner or you can carry out in a garbage bag. It can really pay off great.


Paula Stone is a black belt home buyer and seller and a former Realtor. She works with her husband Ron in his mortgage business. Their website is full of Free information about the mortgage process and real estate. Visit it at Alabama Mortgage Loan