Top 10 Charlotte Home Seller Tips for 2018

If you’re considering selling your Charlotte home  then you may want to take inventory and identify what needs to be addressed before placing your home on the market.

First Impressions are Critical

Put yourself in your buyers’ shoes.   Enter your home starting at the front door and ‘tour’ your home as though you were a buyer.  When a buyer is viewing your home, remember, they are going to be critical of every single aspect of your home. **Remember, this may very well be their new home!   Does your home ‘flow’ nicely?  Are your colors coordinating?  Are all repairs made?  Does your home smell clean?  Is your home bright and welcoming? What ‘feeling’ do you get when you walk through the front door? Do you feel closed-in or is open, welcoming space the dominant feeling?

Even though Charlotte home inventory is low, pricing and preparation of your home are still keys to a successful sale.

Here are 10 top priority tips for Charlotte home sellers:

1. The Front Door:  Many of us pull into our garages, rarely ever even using our front door other than to greet guests from the inside—never seeing what our guests see as they’re standing at the door waiting for us to greet them.   A clean, freshly painted front door with a new welcome mat is the best way to give your buyers a truly positive first impression.  Fresh seasonal flowers in a nice pot also make your buyers feel at home before they even enter the front door!
2. Address any deferred maintenance:  A pre-inspection is always a great idea – even newer homeowners can have hidden repairs that will be discovered with the buyers’ inspector.  These items tend to elongate the list of repairs that the buyers find and put doubt in their minds as to how well the home has been maintained in general.  Glaring items are important to address pre-listing such as caulking, broken seals on windows, dripping faucets, etc.  Those little things also give buyers pause, wondering if there are hidden issues since the glaring ones haven’t been addressed. However, once under Contract, the larger items (HVAC, roof, crawl space/structural/fungal growth) are the deal-killers once under Contract.
3. Neutral colors:  This is likely one of the biggest complaints buyers have when touring homes with loud or bright colored paint.  The paint may have been your child’s favorite color of purple but, neutralizing that one room can make a huge difference in buyers’ opinion of your home.  It’s a ‘cheap’ investment that goes a long way in getting your home SOLD! Don’t think that color doesn’t matter – it may not be a ‘spoken’ thought but, if the colors are neutral, the buyers tend to have a more positive experience while touring your home. **Remember, as all of us are busy these days, so are your buyers; buyers do NOT want to have to paint. So, if you’re thinking that the buyers would prefer to pick their own color(s), you’re going to take a ‘painting allowance’ hit that is higher than it would cost you just to do the work and neutralize NOW. Otherwise, if they don’t like the colors, they may not even consider your home.
4. De-Personalize:  Buyers love looking at photographs and trying to ‘figure out’ your familial status…are you downsizing?…is your family growing and you’ve grown out of the house?…will the same thing happen to them?  You don’t want buyers looking at your photos, you want them looking at your HOUSE!
5. De-Clutter:  Cleaning closets and drawers are just as important as cleaning the carpets.  Buyers are going to open the cabinets, drawers and closets and you don’t want them to think that you have run out of room in your house (meaning that there isn’t enough storage in your home).  Get rid of it by giving it away, selling it or packing what you’re not currently using. What remains that is used, replace it in an orderly, clutter-free fashion. ** Remember, you’re soon going to be packing anyway – why not start now?
6. Garage:  You may choose to use your garage for storage but, your buyers may want to park their cars in there.  If the garage is full of furniture and boxes, the buyers can’t see that they will have a good sized garage for parking.  De-clutter as above in #5 or rent storage space and clean out that garage!
7. Floors:  Do your hardwoods need to be refinished?  Does the carpet need cleaning or replaced?  Gone are the days that buyers want a ‘carpet allowance.’  Buyers want move-in ready and floors are an important item that they will be looking at very closely.
8. Windows:  Clean your windows and screens and let the sunshine IN!  If you have windows with a broken seal (cloudy in between the two layers of glass), go ahead and have them replaced.  This is an item that inspectors WILL find and buyers WILL ask for you to replace them.  You have more time now to replace those windows than you’ll have on your hands while you’re packing to move!
9. Kitchen:  Kitchens and baths are the most important parts of the house to many buyers.  If your kitchen needs updating, go ahead and do that NOW – again, buyers do NOT want any updating to do when they move in.  As our lives are so much busier than ever before, buyers during the last 4-5 years have been bypassing homes that need updates.  We see it all the time – the bones are excellent but, they want move-in ready.  **Remember to be sure that all cabinets, drawers, the pantry and countertops are all clean and well-organized.
10. Landscaping:  Outdoor living areas are huge this year!  Buyers want maintenance-free and want a lovely yard (or garden).  Be sure that your flower beds have a few seasonal annuals blooming and fresh mulch to make a clean, finished landscape.  Get rid of weeds and trim the hedges.  Also, be sure that all of the children’s toys and bicycles are stored away properly and not left on the driveway or lawn.

Bonus tip for selling your Charlotte home when you do get it ready for the market:  VACATE your home when potential buyers come to visit.  DON’T be the elephant in the room!  Your presence will make it difficult or awkward for the buyers to discuss their thoughts and feelings openly with their agent or partner. They will also rush through your home so as not to cause YOU any inconvenience with them being there.

More Charlotte home seller information:

• Pricing Strategies to Sell your Charlotte Home in Any Market
• The First Impression Just May Be Your Last When Selling Charlotte Real Estate
• Common Home Remodeling Projects: DIY vs. Pro
• What if the Appraisal Comes in Lower than the Contract Price?
• Two Key Ingredients to Selling Your Charlotte Luxury Home
• Charlotte Area Luxury Home – Staged, Stunning and SOLD!
• 10 Most Common Charlotte Home Seller Mistakes
• Things You MUST Disclose When Selling Your Charlotte Home
• Charlotte Home Seller Tips – Preparing for the Inspection
• Six Staging Tips to Get Your Charlotte Home Sold Quicker
• Charlotte Home Sellers – You Should NOT Have to Pay for Marketing Your Home UP FRONT! 
• Safety Tips for Charlotte Home Sellers
• Charlotte Home Seller Tips – Marketing Mistakes to Avoid
• Charlotte Home Seller Tips – Five Updates to Get Your Charlotte Home SOLD!
• Charlotte NC Home Seller Tips | Spectacular vs. Blah – Guess Which SELLS?!
• Pricing Your Home for Sale, Myth vs. Reality
• Selling Your Charlotte Home – Leave the Emotions Out of the Equation
• Pricing is CRITICAL When Selling Your Charlotte Real Estate
• Charlotte Home Seller Tips – Redefine Your Market Value
• Charlotte Home Seller Tips – Do Your Research
• Charlotte Home Seller Tips – Remodeling Tips | Ways to Save You Money
• Charlotte Home Seller Tips | Extend Your Selling Season

What are home buyers looking for in a home?  A move-in ready, well-maintained property. Let us help you prepare your Charlotte home for the market.  Thinking of selling your Charlotte home?  Give us a call and we’re happy to provide you a market analysis and free consultation.  We’d love to assist you in helping you prepare your home for the market and getting your home, not just listed but, SOLD!

Let’s talk preparation! Call or text (704) 491-3310 or email DebeM@remax.net

© Debe Maxwell | RE/MAX Executive | The Maxwell House Group Real Estate | DebeM@remax.net | Top 10 Charlotte Home Seller Tips for 2018

Common Home Remodeling Projects: DIY vs. Pro

Charlotte homeowners often struggle with listing preparation – what improvements need to be done and which don’t. Some home improvements are highly personalized and can actually harm a Charlotte home seller more than it would if left unchanged. Then there’s the choice of DIY or hiring the professional. Because of the many choices out there and the unsolicited advice you’ll often get from ‘salesmen’ in the business, it’s highly recommended that you seek the advice of a licensed real estate agent before making ANY home improvements, especially if preparing your home for the market. We will likely be able to save you a LOT of money!

Here is a great bit of advice from our guest author, Eugene Williams of DIY Dad.  For more information and other great resources about all things DIY, check out his website here.

Many homeowners have that one room in their house that just doesn’t fit their needs. Maybe it’s a kitchen with awkwardly arranged appliances or a bathroom with outdated decor. In 2016, nearly two-thirds of homeowners had expressed plans to renovate, according to an article on CNBC. A Harvard study showed that 40% had budgeted to spend $5,000 or more, and more than 20 percent had a budget with double that amount.

So, if you’re a homeowner planning a remodeling project; you’re not alone.

However, many homeowners find themselves wondering if these projects require a professional or can be taken on by a DIY weekend warrior. This is a common concern for many reasons — namely budget. But it’s important to remember that saving money could mean spending more time. Low cost can also sometimes result in low quality. On the other hand, hiring a contractor can be a safer choice, and create a stronger return on investment in the housing market.

Not sure what to do? Weigh your options for these four common home remodeling projects:

Bathroom Remodel

Bathrooms are the most common room remodeling project, according to the National Homebuilders Association. In 2012, 80 percent of homeowners remodeled a bathroom, some with a professional and others on their own. According to HomeAdvisor, the average price to remodel a bathroom in Charlotte is $7,938 – $16,041 and takes around 4-5 weeks to complete. Those who tackled the project themselves can save up to 50 percent of those costs, but often spend two to three times as long on the project. Bathrooms have complex systems, from electrical to plumbing; many homeowners don’t have the skills to replace a tub with a shower or install an additional sink. Those facing simpler projects, like painting, changing fixtures and resurfacing cabinets, have an easier time completing the project themselves.

Bedroom Remodel

The cost for hiring a professional to remodel a master bedroom can run from $2,500 to $10,000. This range is so large because of the differences in square footage of the room, the materials and tools needed, along with the types of upgrades planned. For example, tearing down wallpaper is much less expensive than tearing down a wall.

Kitchen Remodel

Homeowners spend more than an average of $20,000 on a remodeling their kitchens. Kitchens have a variety of renovation options. Some people need to upgrade their appliances, which can skyrocket a budget. Other kitchens need only surface remodels, like painting walls, upgrading sinks and refacing cabinets, which some homeowners take on as a DIY project. When it comes to knocking out walls, installing new countertops and floors, bringing in a professional can be a safer option.

Making Safety a Priority

A home remodel can be more than just paint on the walls and new hardware on doors. When you start getting into plumbing, electricity and structural changes, safety becomes a big factor as to why homeowners decide to go with a contractor. There two major reasons to consider safety a priority:

• More than 5,000 house fires a year result from faulty electrical equipment, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).
• More than 200,000 people are injured each year doing DIY projects. Construction professionals have safety training, licenses and familiarity for the tools they use.

In addition, there are some financial safety risks to consider, as well. For example, some remodeling projects might require permits or inspections. A homeowner starting a DIY project may not know which permits to get and what they mean, risking paying steep fines and fees. Professional contractors know which permits are needed for specific projects.

Safety isn’t just about specialized skills — basic knowledge comes into play, too. Can you safely and properly knock down a wall so that you don’t damage an essential support? Are you able to safely clean up hazardous chemicals and dispose of them properly? Are you working on your project after a long, tiring day at work? How closely are you paying attention to making sure you’re following safety best practices? If your project requires this level of care, hiring someone with experience (and liability insurance!) might cost more upfront, but could cost less in the long run.

For more guidance in preparation of your Charlotte home sale, let’s talk! Give me a call or shoot me a text to (704) 491-3310 or email me at DebeM@remax.net.

Visit www.ListMyCharlotteHome.com if you’re thinking of selling your home in the Charlotte Metro region and make the right decision to hire a professional! I provide full-service real estate with award-winning customer service. I am also happy to provide references of any of our sellers for you to speak with about their experience. You can also read a few of our reviews at www.CharlotteRealEstateAgentReviews.com.

Hiring the RIGHT Charlotte Realtor® is critical to your home selling success!