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Post by peasapie on Mar 20, 2016 16:37:45 GMT
Your house looks nice and neutral. By now you have probably added some pops of color, which would spice it up a bit. Countertops are usually a contrast to the cabinets, so keep that in mind whatever you decide. Have you gone to look at other houses for sale? That helps me when I'm moving.
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Post by Really Red on Mar 20, 2016 16:40:28 GMT
One thing that would really tempt me is some sort of guarantee on the home. I'd have a company who does that come in and give me an estimate on that. If I saw a home had a guarantee for say 5 years for any big issue (roof, etc), it would give me confidence.
Also, you didn't say anything about the yard. How does that look?
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Deleted
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Oct 8, 2024 14:11:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2016 16:43:24 GMT
One thing that would really tempt me is some sort of guarantee on the home. I'd have a company who does that come in and give me an estimate on that. If I saw a home had a guarantee for say 5 years for any big issue (roof, etc), it would give me confidence. Also, you didn't say anything about the yard. How does that look? We would offer a home warranty for one year with the sale. That's pretty standard around here for existing homes. We have a large backyard, but it does lack some privacy. Most people don't seem to mind, but I hate it.
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styxgirl
Pearl Clutcher
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Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
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Post by styxgirl on Mar 20, 2016 16:54:19 GMT
Can you offer the buyers the $20k as an allowance so they can choose what they would like? Before I go to the trouble of a remodel, I would do something like this. Or just drop your price even more to allow for a remodel by the new owners.
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Post by Basket1lady on Mar 20, 2016 17:00:20 GMT
We're military. I feel your pain. It's a real problem for military families. We rent for this very reason--the bottom of the housing market can drop out quickly, but you are still forced to move. In the early 90s, friends were losing $50,000 because bases were closing and they couldn't sell. In 2008, friends were losing $250,000 because they had bought at the height of the market and then the bubble burst.
The first thing I would do is look at comps in your area. Are you competitively priced, or did you just drop the price down from what you paid for it? The house we are living in now sold for $650,000 in 2006 (we are in the DC area, so prices are high). The owners wanted $625,000 in 2011, but area comps were closer to $450,000. No way was I going to pay $175,000 more than the house next door and we would have never found a mortgage company that would sign off on that, either. Plus, the house is 25 years old and needs a new furnace, roof, and new windows and there is a water problem in the basement every year. So if they asked $450,000, I would ask for at least a $30,000 credit to take care of those issues. And no way are they going to sell with a $230,000 loss--but the house just simply isn't worth more than that. So we asked to rent and they said yes because they just couldn't afford the loss and we absolutely would not buy this house.
If you do any upgrades, upgrade your countertops to fix a weird seam. But don't do granite-quartz is cheaper and many have the look of granite. Or look at a solid surface. I'd just put carpet back in the carpeted areas and let the new owners sort out the flooring they want. It's pretty easy to have flooring put in through Home Depot or Lowe's. Make sure the paint is fresh everywhere and put in some time to get good curb appeal. You could write up a paragraph or so listing your experience with schools and shopping in the area. Your statement about "average" schools concerns me--when we move, I almost always pick the schools and then find a house in their zoning area. If you really aren't zoned for the best schools in town, don't make your house the best house in a poorer neighborhood.
Also, have you advertised on MilitaryByOwner.com? That's where we have found our last 3-4 houses. I haven't looked further than MBO in probably 10 years, and have been happy with the experience.
I know that back in 2009 ish, there was some sort of loan forgiveness program for military who was forced to move. I don't know the details and it's probably too late now, but it's worth looking into if it's still active.
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Post by auntkelly on Mar 20, 2016 17:03:40 GMT
I would concentrate on finding a good real estate agent. You said you had no luck w/ the top sellers, so you might have to look for an up and coming real estate agent. If I had to interview 20 real estate agents before I found one who was enthusiastic about my listing my home and had a good marketing plan, that is what I'd do.
It sounds like your real problem might be the location of the house, not the fact that it is not upgraded. I think I'd do what others have suggested and get the carpets cleaned and drop the price even further if necessary. I wouldn't put any more money in upgrades. I'd concentrate on buyers who don't want to pay the premium for new construction.
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luvnlifelady
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Jun 26, 2014 2:34:35 GMT
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Post by luvnlifelady on Mar 20, 2016 17:05:58 GMT
I haven't read all the replies but I would not put in dark granite. We have black granite (was here when we bought) and it shows every little crumb. My friend has speckled beige/tan and I love it!
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Mar 20, 2016 17:07:00 GMT
Can you offer the buyers the $20k as an allowance so they can choose what they would like? Before I go to the trouble of a remodel, I would do something like this. Or just drop your price even more to allow for a remodel by the new owners. I have a question about this...I hear people saying things like this here and on home shows. However, don't most people have to finance the house? So, having $20,000 in cash for remodeling is not the same as financing the house for $20,000 less. Does that make sense? Help me understand this line of thinking. I understand that a lower price would free up a little money each month for remodeling but it would not be very much.
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Deleted
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Oct 8, 2024 14:11:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2016 17:14:46 GMT
Go to cost co and look at the flooring there. That is the flooring that a lot of contractrs are using.
Or buy the cheap flooring at Home Depot. It really does look nice.
Either way put it in yourself , it is cheaper than carpet.
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Post by cindyupnorth on Mar 20, 2016 17:26:57 GMT
If your house hasn't sold in 4 yrs, there is something going on? NO offers in 4 years?
1st off I would NOT take 20,000$ and do remodeling. There is nothing screaming out here that needs to be redone. It's ok. It's not a deal breaker. IF I was looking at a house, and was told I would get 10,15, 20,ooo in money to do remodeling, THAT would be a major draw.
The other thing is curb appeal. What does your house look like on the outside? landscaping? fence? neighbors? etc? That is a huge issue. To me the inside of the house, and the pic's you showed me, would not hold a house back from selling in 4 yrs.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2016 17:27:11 GMT
We're deep cleaning the house now and planning to contact a few realtors this week and go from there. Thank you for your help everyone. You've given us a ton to think about and we're still confused, but hopefully things will become clearer once we meet with some realtors.
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Deleted
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Oct 8, 2024 14:11:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2016 17:31:36 GMT
If your house hasn't sold in 4 yrs, there is something going on? NO offers in 4 years? 1st off I would NOT take 20,000$ and do remodeling. There is nothing screaming out here that needs to be redone. It's ok. It's not a deal breaker. IF I was looking at a house, and was told I would get 10,15, 20,ooo in money to do remodeling, THAT would be a major draw. The other thing is curb appeal. What does your house look like on the outside? landscaping? fence? neighbors? etc? That is a huge issue. To me the inside of the house, and the pic's you showed me, would not hold a house back from selling in 4 yrs. Trust us, we have NO idea why it hasn't sold other than the average district problem. We accommodated EVERY showing, had the house spic and span clean, aggressively marketed the home ourselves, etc. Yes, there is a better school district near us, but we can't move the house AND we're priced a lot lower than them. We will definitely work on curb appeal. It has some, but clearly not enough. We've worked with several agents and two of them have been really bad and gotten no showings at all...they were both fired. In total, we've had 5 realtors, including a husband-wife team of top selling agents. Still no offer. :-(
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Post by melanell on Mar 20, 2016 17:48:35 GMT
One thing that would really tempt me is some sort of guarantee on the home. I'd have a company who does that come in and give me an estimate on that. If I saw a home had a guarantee for say 5 years for any big issue (roof, etc), it would give me confidence. Also, you didn't say anything about the yard. How does that look? We would offer a home warranty for one year with the sale. That's pretty standard around here for existing homes. We have a large backyard, but it does lack some privacy. Most people don't seem to mind, but I hate it. Yeah, a lack of a private backyard would be a negative for me, too.
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Post by jbelle on Mar 20, 2016 17:55:08 GMT
The house looks nice. I would replace the square tiles backsplash in the kitchen with the smaller, rectangular tile backsplash, update the counter tops and kitchen floor. It's time to hire a home interior decorator who would give you tips on what you can do as well as staging the house for selling. You think that you should be able to do the same, but my brother in law uses a decorator for every home he's ever purchase with amazing results.
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loco coco
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Jun 26, 2014 16:15:45 GMT
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Post by loco coco on Mar 20, 2016 17:55:38 GMT
i think darker floors would make a big difference. I like the color of the walls and trim. I would probably do a medium granite to contrast the light cabinets
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Post by quinlove on Mar 20, 2016 17:59:11 GMT
A black/ brown/ copper countertop would pull a lot of the colors together. Staging company would be money well spent. Get pictures taken professionally or by yourself once staged. Pictures are what will get them in the door. Plus a staged front yard if needed. Curb appeal means a lot too. St Joseph certainly can't hurt.
i meant to say, black countertop with gold/ bronze specks. That would look really classy and tie the cabinets and appliances all together.
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Post by anniefb on Mar 20, 2016 18:02:59 GMT
Another vote for having one of the top selling (vs top listing) agents in your area look at the house as is and give you advice on what to do. I would be very hesitant to put $20,000 into a house that I was going to list without knowing for sure it would help. Many of the things you mention doing are things that would detract from the house for me: new carpet (prefer all hardwoods), dark hardwoods (too much trouble to keep clean and I prefer a medium stain), dark granite (I prefer quartz and a lighter color). Those are things that would cause me to make a lower offer because I would need to spend money to correct. I think freshening up (paint and a thorough, deep clean) plus staging would go a long way to helping the house sell. Also make sure the curb appeal is tip top with fresh plants and landscaping. Good luck with getting the house listed and sold! Totally agree. Don't spend a huge amount without knowing that's the issue. It may just be the overall price - if the market has dropped so much since you bought. I'm also not a fan of several of the things you mentioned - dark hardwood & granite for instance. IMO you'd be better to get professional advice about what the market is doing in your area and why a realtor considers the house hasn't sold, do some modest touchups if needed, get it staged and let the buyer decide what they want to do with big ticket items like a kitchen.
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momto4kiddos
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Jun 26, 2014 11:45:15 GMT
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Post by momto4kiddos on Mar 20, 2016 18:09:15 GMT
We were planning to get an agent in here, but the house isn't showing well due to carpet stains from the renters and I'm pretty embarrassed by it. But maybe we'll go ahead and do that instead. Thank you for your advice so far. I'd get the advice of the agents....so tell them you are embarrassed by what the renters did if you have to! But there is now way i'd be taking 20K and guessing what was popular these days. We have family who has a house being listed this week. The agent went through and told them exactly what they should change, right down to the outdated brass doorknobs. They know what is in and out, i'd find someone you trust and get their advice.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2016 18:12:41 GMT
Thanks for all the input everything. We'll definitely get that realtor(s) in here this week as most of you have suggested.
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Post by gritzi on Mar 20, 2016 18:20:23 GMT
HOnestly, it's highly unlikely that I would spend $20,000 to upgrade the house for someone else. That's $$$ that can be spent for my new home. If the home needed structural repairs, cracked windows replaced, a roof repaired, yes. New flooring, carpeting, etc? No.
I would consider a few thousand to hire a stager. A few new photos, pops of color, window coverings can make an amazing difference!!
When we sold our previous home a friend helped me stage (the house was empty). We did hire someone to repaint most of the home, and had the flooring professionally cleaned. We also hired someone to refresh the entire landscaping. the outdoor area was the first impression that would entice someone to look inside. We put the FSBO sign in the yard and had it sold within one week.
Also, check your local carpet cleaning companies. We hired one (had used them before) whose guarantee was that every stain could be removed, and that they would return w/o charge until a particular stain was fully removed. Our carpeting was 14 years old, but definitely didn't look like it needed replaced immediately.
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used2scrap
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Jan 29, 2016 3:02:55 GMT
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Post by used2scrap on Mar 20, 2016 18:21:44 GMT
I feel your pain, military family here upside on our house bought in 2006 (Camp LeJeune area). The market is terrible, and the continued new construction is devastating for resale.
My advice for what it's worth. Clean the crap out of the carpets but don't bother replacing flooring...except wood/laminate in a dining room if there isn't.
Your house looks clean and uncluttered but too sterile! If you won't darken the kitchen cabinets, get a counter top (granite look but not granite) that has a speckled/marbled mix of some dark and light --brown/beige/white. Then paint the kitchen a darker color so the cabinets and counter pop. Right now the beige cabinets beige backsplash/tan walls all just blend and are too bland. Maybe some better cabinet hardware to stand out. The kitchen backsplash needs updating and the outlet covers...and it stops too soon not all the way to the bar counter? And the dishwasher in the corner would be problematic to me as a buyer.
Get some artwork on the walls, some splashes of color.
Really focus on the curb appeal out front, and consider a backyard fence/lattice/privacy screening etc.
Can you show pictures with the current colors/furniture as it is now for better staging input?
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styxgirl
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Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
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Post by styxgirl on Mar 20, 2016 18:32:34 GMT
Before I go to the trouble of a remodel, I would do something like this. Or just drop your price even more to allow for a remodel by the new owners. I have a question about this...I hear people saying things like this here and on home shows. However, don't most people have to finance the house? So, having $20,000 in cash for remodeling is not the same as financing the house for $20,000 less. Does that make sense? Help me understand this line of thinking. I understand that a lower price would free up a little money each month for remodeling but it would not be very much. I would ask your real estate person. The thing I have heard of is an "allowance" So let's say the house needs new carpet for $5,000 You say the house is priced at a certain amount $200,000. You're giving an allowance of $5,000 for the buyer to do their own carpet. They still borrow $200,000 from the bank but only give you $195,000. That's super simple math and there's lots more fees, etc in there, but I think that's the overall idea... Your real estate person could advise you. I know I wouldn't want to go through the remodel... Especially if you don't live in the area. Remodels suck and it's even worse if you aren't close to check on things all the time. Best wishes!
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Mar 20, 2016 18:37:08 GMT
I have a question about this...I hear people saying things like this here and on home shows. However, don't most people have to finance the house? So, having $20,000 in cash for remodeling is not the same as financing the house for $20,000 less. Does that make sense? Help me understand this line of thinking. I understand that a lower price would free up a little money each month for remodeling but it would not be very much. I would ask your real estate person. The thing I have heard of is an "allowance" So let's say the house needs new carpet for $5,000 You say the house is priced at a certain amount $200,000. You're giving an allowance of $5,000 for the buyer to do their own carpet. They still borrow $200,000 from the bank but only give you $195,000. That's super simple math and there's lots more fees, etc in there, but I think that's the overall idea... Your real estate person could advise you. I know I wouldn't want to go through the remodel... Especially if you don't live in the area. Remodels suck and it's even worse if you aren't close to check on things all the time. Best wishes! That's what my idea was when we started looking at houses years ago and there were a lot of foreclosures on the market. If there was a way to make that work it would change my outlook on moving, but I talked to someone at a bank at that time (over 10 years ago and she acted like I was crazy and said "that's not how it works."
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used2scrap
Drama Llama
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Jan 29, 2016 3:02:55 GMT
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Post by used2scrap on Mar 20, 2016 18:51:36 GMT
Also the fireplace...is that the back or front door? I would focus on the fireplace area, make it stand out, rearrange furniture to make it a focal point etc. if that is the front door, where do shoes/coats/backpacks go? I'd get some sort of bench/coat rack near there.
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Post by annabella on Mar 20, 2016 19:23:35 GMT
We've had our home on the market in NC (on and off) for about 4 years now and rented it our for 1.5 year. My father is in NC and has the exact same issue as you so he's been renting the house for 5 years now with no problems. I think it's just a bad market, your house looks lovely. Get a new agent with fresh eyes and ideas. But you might have to rent some more so it doesn't look like your house has been sitting on the market a long time.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2016 19:27:20 GMT
Dd just bought a home in NC. It needs a lot of cosmetic updates...mostly getting rid of wallpaper, painting, and floors. And It has a pink bathroom. She chose it because her mortgage will be 1/2 the others she looked at that were more move in ready. She doesn't mind doing some fix up for that bonus.
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Post by pastlifepea on Mar 20, 2016 20:53:37 GMT
I'm sure your home has been shown a lot over the 4 years you've been trying to sell. In the past, when selling a home, our agent would always get feedback from any showings so that we could address any issues that seemed to come up a lot. Have you gotten feedback from potential buyers?
I would be very hesitant to sink another 20k into a home that you are having problems selling. There are sites online that will tell you how much of the price you pay for various upgrades that you can expect to recoup when selling and that is still no guarantee.
To me, your house looks perfectly fine and move in ready. I would consider a home NOT move in ready if it needed significant updating...ie dated kitchen, bathrooms, unappealing wallpaper, or flooring. Even if I wanted to change something in your house, I would still feel okay about going ahead and moving in and then doing the changes at my leisure.
Is there anything else that may be turning buyers off? School district, adjacent to busy street, unsightly/poorly maintained neighbor homes?
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Post by lisae on Mar 20, 2016 21:03:49 GMT
With the lighter cabinet, I'd do a medium to dark granite. For the floors, I'd go to a real flooring store - not a home improvement warehouse but people who specialize in floors and ask them what people are using. Personally, I'd never want dark floors as they would show dust so bad but I think that is what is in style. I just don't know for sure and that is why I would ask someone in your area whose business it is to sell flooring. (My parents ran a flooring store for 40 years and they often helped people make choices and knew what was the most popular flooring at any given time.)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2016 21:03:51 GMT
I would invest the money in upgrading the kitchen, cabinets included and the rest into staging. For me, the kitchen sells the home. Everything else is relatively minor.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2016 21:11:41 GMT
I'm sure your home has been shown a lot over the 4 years you've been trying to sell. In the past, when selling a home, our agent would always get feedback from any showings so that we could address any issues that seemed to come up a lot. Have you gotten feedback from potential buyers? I would be very hesitant to sink another 20k into a home that you are having problems selling. There are sites online that will tell you how much of the price you pay for various upgrades that you can expect to recoup when selling and that is still no guarantee. To me, your house looks perfectly fine and move in ready. I would consider a home NOT move in ready if it needed significant updating...ie dated kitchen, bathrooms, unappealing wallpaper, or flooring. Even if I wanted to change something in your house, I would still feel okay about going ahead and moving in and then doing the changes at my leisure. Is there anything else that may be turning buyers off? School district, adjacent to busy street, unsightly/poorly maintained neighbor homes? Thank you for that. Our house isn't in the best school district, but definitely not the worst (it's average). It's a nice quiet subdivision, with very low crime and no HOA. The neighbors keep their homes in decent shape, although it's pretty transitional and has a lot of military move in/out. As far as feedback, we usually were told it's a nice, clean home. We thought we were close to an offer a few times, but no luck. We've looked at sites and know we won't get all of our upgrade investment money back, but we're desperate to sell now. It's been extremely stressful on our entire family (we've lived apart for over a year, rented it and dealt with terrible property management, etc). I think the biggest problem is the over-saturation of the market, with tons of choices available for buyers....good for them, but bad for us.
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