You might be dreading the idea of improving your home because it might cost you a fortune. Don't fret! This list will enlighten you that simple and easy measures which you can do yourself will make a big (and positive!) difference in your home. You can ask your agent how to stage your home best, but it won’t hurt to get a headstart on making your home as presentable as it may be – without having to spend thousands of dollars.

  1. De-clutter – Making your place organized and free from clutter will give your potential buyers a good impression of you and your home, and what's great about it is that it won’t cost you a cent. Start by clearing unnecessary items not just from easily visible spaces in the house but also in closets so that your clients can have a good idea of how much storage they could have.
  2. Hide signs of pets – Your client may be a dog or cat lover like you, but thick animal stench can still be off-putting for them when they’re trying to purchase their new home. If possible, ask someone to babysit your pets while potential buyers view your house. Make sure to stow away litter boxes, remove pet-related stains, and fix damages on furniture or any part of the house that have been caused by your pets.
  3. Arrange your furniture – Don’t overlook the small details! Even the simple act of reducing chairs on your porch will make your space look bigger and more presentable. Another thing you could do is to move furniture that obstructs entryways. Stage your house in a way that makes it more welcoming for potential buyers.
  4. Depersonalize your home – Make your house as base as possible, save for a few wall clocks and tasteful art. You want to make sure that your clients have plenty of room to visualize how they could make the space their own, and it’ll be hard for them to do that if you have too many photos of you and your family hanging on the walls.
  5. Upgrade your curb appeal – Again, small details can make or break your chances of selling your house. And when it comes to marketing property, it’s crucial that you make potential buyers fall in love with it at first sight. And, the first thing your client sees when they go to your house is your curb – so a swept walkway, nicely mowed lawn, and well-placed shrubs will make a really great impression.
  6. Add visible storage – A place for storage will always be a useful feature for your house. Hidden storage also helps, but visible ones will assist your clients’ visualization of where they could keep their stuff in place.
  7. Paint your walls and ceilings – This will surely brighten up your home and make it look clean. Take note that it’s always better to have your paint in neutral colors than in bold ones. Make your space look spacious and elegant by going with light colors such as white and beige.
  8. Change bulbs – In line with painting your walls, better lighting also makes for a brighter space which makes your house instantly appealing and inviting.
  9. Spruce up your kitchen – The kitchen can often make or break your chances of selling your home, and the best way to upgrade it is to make sure that things in it work properly. You can start out by adding new cabinet handles, updating lighting fixtures, and replacing faucet sets.
  10. Boost your bathroom - Next to the kitchen, the bathroom is what most buyers tend to be meticulous about. Spruce it up by cleaning your tiles and replacing your toilet seat.

12 Reasons Why This is a Better Market for Buyers

I TALKED TO A LOT OF POTENTIAL BUYERS AND SELLERS EVERY DAY WITH WHAT I DO AND INEVITABLY A COUPLE OF TIMES A DAY I'M GONNA HAVE PEOPLE THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH JUST SAY, I'M GONNA WAIT TO BUY. I'M JUST GONNA WAIT AND YOU KNOW, IN MY HEAD, I'M THINKING, WAIT FOR WHAT YOU THINK, INTEREST RATES ARE GONNA GO BACK DOWN TO TWO OR 3%. I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT AGAIN IN OUR LIFETIMES. I REALLY DON'T UM I HOPE I'M WRONG ABOUT THAT. UM BUT I JUST, I DON'T SEE IT HAPPENING. WHERE THE PRICES AREN'T CRASHING DOWN. WE'RE STILL, IT'S STILL A SELLER'S MARKET, THERE'S STILL UM MUCH MORE DEMAND THAN THERE IS SUPPLY OF HOMES. AGAIN, I STARTED THINKING, I GO, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY THE MARKET IS BETTER FOR BUYERS AS WE SIT HERE IN THE, YOU KNOW,THE LAST QUARTER OF 2022 VERSUS HOW THINGS WERE FOR YEARS ENDING IN WHEN THE MARKET SHIFTED RIGHT AROUND EASTER THIS YEAR. THAT'S WHEN THE MARKET CHANGED. SO I CAME UP WITH 12 PROS AND ONLY ONE CON. SO LET ME SHARE THOSE WITH YOU.

 

PRO NUMBER ONE IS A SELLER PAID CLOSING COSTS. THESE SELLERS WERE NOT PAYING ANYTHING UH FOR YEARS, IN MOST INSTANCES, YOU KNOW, THEY PAY THEIR, THEIR REAL ESTATE FEES, DOC STAMPS IN THE DEED, BUT YOU'RE BUYING, YOU KNOW, YOU AS THE BUYER WOULDN'T WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET FOR JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE. WE'RE GETTING SELLERS TO PAY, CLOSING COSTS IN SOME INSTANCES NOW AS A NEGOTIATION POINT. SO THAT'S EXCITING. IT'S LESS OUT OF POCKET FOR THE BUYERS.

 

THE SECOND REASON IS SELLER PAID RATE BY DOWN. WHAT WE'RE DOING IN SOME INSTANCES IS RATHER THAN REDUCE THE PRICE, WE'RE TAKING THAT MONEY THAT YOU WOULD NEGOTIATE WITH THE SELLER AND HAVING THE SELLER BY YOUR RATE DOWN. SO I MEAN THAT'S EXCITING TO BUY IT DOWN. MAYBE, AS WE'RE SITTING HERE IN OCTOBER, THERE ARE 7%, YOU CAN BUY IT DOWN TO SIX, MAYBE EVEN FIVE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE PAST.
 

THE THIRD IS THE SELLER PAID TO ONE RATE BY DOWN. AND WHAT THAT IS IT'S A NEW, IT'S A NEW PROGRAM THAT A LOT OF LENDERS HAVE WHERE THE SELLER BUYS DOWN YOUR RATE AND IT'S 2% LESS THE FIRST YEAR. SO IF IT'S 7% YOU'D PAY 5% THE SECOND YEAR, IT'S 1% LESS. SO IF IT'S 7% YOU PAID SIX AND THE THIRD, YOU'D BE AT SEVEN IN THE THIRD AND BEYOND, YOU'D BE AT 7%. OKAY? BUT HERE'S THE DEAL WITH THAT THAT GETS YOU THAT GETS YOU ABLE TO AFFORD MORE HOUSE HERE IN THE SHORT TERM AND THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER,ONE OF TWO THINGS WILL HAPPEN IN THE IN THE FUTURE EITHER THE FIXED INTEREST RATES ARE GONNA COME DOWN SO YOU CAN REFINANCE OR THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER LENDING PRODUCTS THAT ARE GONNA COME OUT MAYBE ARMS UM LOOK THEM UP WITH OTHER SOLUTIONS TO,BECAUSE AFFORDABILITY IS AN ISSUE NOW WITH THE RATES GOING UP IN THE PRICE INCREASES IN RECENT YEARS. SO THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION FOR YOU ON THE TABLE.

THE FOURTH REASON WHY BUYING A HOME CAN BE BETTER HERE NOW AT THIS POINT IN 2022 THAN IN RECENT YEARS IS SELLER PAID REPAIRS. UM YOU KNOW, SELLERS DIDN’T WANT TO DO ANYTHING. IN FACT, THEY SOME OF THEM DIDN'T EVEN WANT BUYERS TO HAVE INSPECTIONS FOR HEAVEN'S SAKES. NOW THE SELLER IS THE SELLERS ARE GOING AHEAD AND MAKING YOU KNOW, REPAIRS ON THEIR PROPERTY BEFORE PUTTING THEM ON THE MARKET. THEY'RE REPLACING ROOFS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY NEED TO REPLACE ROOFS AND THERE'S ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT THE SELLERS ARE WILLING TO DO THAT THEY WERE RESISTANT TO DO IN RECENT YEARS JUST BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH DEMAND.

 

THE 5TH REASON IT'S BETTER TO BUY A HOME IS SELLER PAID IMPROVEMENTS. SELLERS ARE GOING AHEAD AND MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR HOME PRIOR TO PUTTING THEM ON THE MARKET WHERE UM YOU KNOW, WHEREAS BEFORE THERE WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU AS THE BUYER ARE GONNA BENEFIT FROM THAT BE THE ONE THAT WILL BENEFIT MOST FROM THAT.

 

THE SIX POINT OF WHY THIS IS A BETTER HOME FOR A BUYER TO BUY TO BUY MARKET IN RECENT YEARS IS PRICE NEGOTIATION. THERE WAS NO NEGOTIATION AND PRICE PREVIOUSLY IT WAS, HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY OVER LIST PRICE? TO TRY TO GET THE HOME RIGHT AS CRAZY AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE PAYING, YOU KNOW, $6100 OVER LIST PRICE. THEY WERE GIVING AWAY THEIR SEASON FOOTBALL TICKETS. I MEAN, MAD TRIPS, its MADNESS. OKAY, ALL THAT'S GONE. SO WE'VE GOT PRICE NEGOTIATION NOW, THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

 

THE 7TH REASON WHY THERE'S IT'S BETTER TO BUY A HOME HERE IN THIS MARKET THAN THE PREVIOUS MARKET IS YOU PAY LESS THAN ASKING PRICE. RIGHT? YOU FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY OTHER COMPETING OFFERS, IF THEY'RE NOT, WE CAN NEGOTIATE A LITTLE BIT RIGHT? SO, I MEAN, THAT'S EXCITING, YOU GET A BETTER DEAL THAT WAY.

 

THE 8TH REASON WHY IT'S BETTER TO BUY A HOUSE IN THIS MARKET THAN THE PREVIOUS HOT MARKET. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIVE INSPECTIONS, OKAY, WAIVING INSPECTIONS IS A TEAR. IT WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA, BUT I MEAN, PEOPLE HAD TO DO IT TO GET A HOUSE RIGHT? UM YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS AS YOU WANTED TO BE BEFORE YOU BECOME THE OWNER OF THAT HOME AND UM, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'VE GOT TIME TO DO INSPECTIONS AGAIN AND JUST MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S THE SMART INVESTMENT FOR YOU. SO THAT'S BACK IN PLAY.

THE 9TH REASON WHY THE MARKET IS BETTER NOW FOR BUYERS THAN IT WAS IN THE RECENT HOT MARKET IS INSPECTION NEGOTIATIONS, OKAY. UM, EVERYTHING WAS AS IS BEFORE FOR THE MOST PART, OR VERY, VERY SMALL, REPAIR LIMITS THAT WERE PUT ON THE, PUT ON THE CONTRACTS AND UH, NOW YOU CAN GET STUFF FIXED. YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT EASIER. IT'S A LOT EASIER TO GET A FIXED SELLER, TAKE CARE OF IT BEFORE YOU MOVE IN AND THEN HAVE IT BE YOUR PROBLEM ONCE YOU BUY IT.

 

 

THE 10TH REASON WHY IT'S BETTER FOR BUYERS TO BUY NOW THAN IT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS HOT MARKET IS YOU GOT TIME TO THINK IT OVER RIGHT SO MANY BUYERS JUST NEEDED A HOUSE, RIGHT? AND I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA DECIDE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES THE BUYERS WERE SETTLING FOR A LOT OF STUFF THEY REALLY DIDN'T WANT JUST BECAUSE THEY NEEDED A PLACE TO LIVE. SO YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO THINK THINGS OVER AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS GONNA BE THE RIGHT MOVE FOR YOU.

 

 

THE 11TH REASON WHY IT'S BETTER TO BUY A HOME IN THIS MARKET THAN THE PREVIOUS HOT MARKET IS YOU CAN HAVE CONTINGENCY CON CLAUSES IN YOUR CONTRACT, YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT, I MEAN, PREVIOUSLY, IF YOU HAD A CONTINGENCY CLAUSE, WHY WOULD THE SELLER EXCEPT THAT WHEN THERE'S YOU KNOW 10 OTHER OFFERS OR 20 OTHER OFFERS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT? MAYBE GOT A HOME TO SELL. NOW YOU CAN FIND A HOUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'LL FIND A SELLER THAT'LL TAKE A CONTINGENCY ON THE SALE OF YOUR HOME AND YOU CAN TIME EVERYTHING BETTER THAT WAY AND YOU KNOW, HAVE A LOT LESS STRESS.

 

 

THE 12TH REASON WHY IT'S BETTER FOR BUYERS TODAY THAN IT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS HOT MARKET IS YOU'VE GOT LONGER CONTRACT TO CLOSE IF YOU WANT IT RIGHT THERE, THEY'RE NOT PUSHING TOO CLOSE AND YOU KNOW, 20 OR 30 DAYS LIKE THEY WERE IN THE PREVIOUS MARKET. SO YOU'VE GOT LONGER TIMEFRAMES, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU'VE GOT A HOME TO SELL OR YOU KNOW, YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO MOVE FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, YOU NEGOTIATE IT OUT NOW.

AND OF COURSE, THE ONE CON OF BUYING TODAY AND IT'S A VERY SHORT LIST IS THAT INTEREST RATES ARE HIGHER, RIGHT? UM YES, THERE'S STILL HISTORICALLY LOW EVEN AT 7%, BUT IT'S A LOT HIGHER THAN THREE. AND UH WE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE WE ALWAYS SAY UM MARRY THE HOUSE AND DATE THE RATE UM THEY'RE GONNA COME BACK DOWN. I MEAN THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER PRODUCTS THAT ARE GONNA SHOW UP. UM IT'S A LOT BETTER TO BUY AT 7% THAN IT IS IF IT GOES UP TO 10 OR 12 AND THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY SMART PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE SAYING IT'S GONNA GO UP TO 10 OR 12 BEFORE THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE. SO 7% ISN'T GONNA LOOK SO BAD WHEN THAT DAY COMES. SO AND AGAIN LIKE I SAID, YOU CAN ALWAYS REFINANCE LATER IF YOU WANTED TO. UM THERE'S GONNA BE ALL SORTS OF OTHER PRODUCTS THAT WILL COME OUT. BUT YOU KNOW AT LEAST YOU CAN GET THE HOME YOU WANT AND LIVE YOUR LIFE. AND WHEN THAT DAY COMES YOU'LL HAVE OTHER OPTIONS. IF I CAN HELP YOU WITH ANYTHING BUYING OR SELLING, JUST REACH OUT TO ME. YOU CAN IF YOU'RE SEEING THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, GO AHEAD AND DIRECT MESSAGE ME, I'LL BE THE ONE ANSWERING YOU SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO IF YOU TALK TO ME I WILL BE THE ONE TALKING TO BACK, IT WON'T BE AN ASSISTANT, IT'LL BE ME. AND SO JUST KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING. IF HE COULD AND UM IF YOU PREFER YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT ME AT 85O-677-1630. YOU FOUND THIS HELPFUL GO AHEAD AND LIKE THIS, SHARE IT WITH ANYBODY THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW UM PUT IN THE COMMENTS WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS PROS AND CONS LIST. AND UM IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM YOU CAN FOLLOW ME @MEETSCOTTGREGORY, LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU SOON. TAKE CARE!

 

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