August 2016 // Real Estate & Home Builders Guide // 15E
Dated decor can make selling a home diicult
By Ilyce Glink
and Samuel J. Tamkin
Tribune Content Agency
Q
: I’m interviewing Realtors in
preparation to sell my townhouse.
Both brokers interviewed so far recom-
mend painting my dark wood kitchen
cabinets white. Painting wood seems
nonsensical to me, but she says white
shows better. Similarly, she recommends
replacing the (old, but functional) toilets
with white ones, even though one of the
bathrooms also has a bathtub and shower
of the same (robin’s egg-blue) color. What
do you think?
: We think that these brokers are
giving you sound advice. From the
way you phrased your question, we can
tell you haven’t renovated your home in
quite some time, or perhaps ever. The
look must be dated: The dark cabinets in
the kitchen and the robin eggs blue color
of the bathrooms must be from the ‘70s. It
will be dificult to sell this house, even in
“as is” condition.
That’s what your brokers are trying
telling you: You have dated decor and that
painting cabinets and changing toilets
may help you sell this house faster.
What you need to understand is
that potential buyers may walk in, take
a fast look around and then walk out
when they see how dated your home is.
The only thing they’ll see is how much
work it will take to bring your home
up to the expected standard. Since you
probably have not redecorated your home
while you have lived there, having a
professional painter paint the cabinets
and whitewash the walls, and having a
plumber replace some toilets may change
the overall look and feel to your home.
A fresh coat of paint can go a long way
toward getting buyers to come, stay and
put a bid in a home. Even if they choose
to repaint, if the fresh coat helps you sell
your home faster and for more money, it
may be worth it.
For not too much money, you might
sell your home far faster, and perhaps
might get back all the money you put into
ixing up your home for sale.
You may have maintained your home
perfectly and know that everything in
the home is in perfect order, but decor
is still a huge part of selling a home. So,
keep an open mind and ask for their help
in identifying if anything else should be
done to your home. Most home sellers
get defensive when brokers tell them that
they should ix up their home for sale.
Others simply dismiss their broker’s
A
THINKSTOCK IMAGE
observations. The truth is that most good
brokers have a pretty keen eye on what
buyers are expecting to see.
Frequently these brokers will only say
something to a seller when they truly see
something that is a huge issue. While we
don’t know what else about your decor
seems dated, you should ask the brokers
to make other suggestions. Once you add
up the list, you can decide what it worth
doing and spending in order to get your
house sold quickly.
Most sellers need to declutter, pack
up family photos, clean off countertops,
box up and clean out closets, clean out
basements and attics, install higher
wattage lights, buy solid light colored
towels and comforter bed covers, and get
rid of any furniture that makes it hard to
walk around a home.
If you take their advice to heart, we
think you’ll be better off when trying to
sell your home. Good luck.
(Ilyce Glink is the creator of an
18-part webinar+ebook series called
“The Intentional Investor: How to be
wildly successful in real estate,” as well
as the author of many books on real
‘Your rural property specialist’
Cheryl Jenison
ABR, BROKER, GRI, SRES
205 Pine Street • Spray, OR 97874
Phone (541) 468-3113
Fax 468-3115
www.realestateoutback.com
estate. She also hosts the “Real Estate
Minute,” on her YouTube channel. Samuel
J. Tamkin is a Chicago-based real estate
attorney. Contact Ilyce and Sam through
her website, ThinkGlink.com.)
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