Selling an Old Home to Young Buyers

Selling your home can always seem to be a tedious and stressful process, but few homes can be harder to sell than old ones. In a world where everyone seems to want new, new, new, an old home can be an eyesore and can also be hard to garner interest. Young buyers, more seemingly than other demographics, want new homes. So how do you market an old home to young buyers? The Columbus local movers have a few pointers for you.

Get a pre-inspection done. Having a professional come in and find areas of the house that need to be repaired or updated saves a lot of guess work. Knowing how much the buyer will have to lay out in home repairs will lessen the concern or guesswork. Also, it will tell you, the lister, what needs to be done before the home goes on the market. Get heavy systems like the HVAC and septic system cleaned and inspected.

Buy a home warranty. A home warranty for the property to protect elements like the electrical, plumbing, heating/cooling, and so on, can provide significant peace of mind to your buyers. At about $400, a home warranty is a great way to help boost your home’s likelihood of a sale.

Offer a possible renovation or expansion plan. Most agents work closely with contractors, so to create a tentative plan for changing the home could be a nice way to present alternatives to the buyer. Changing the flooring or renovating a room can be eye-opening to young buyers who might not realize the potential otherwise.

Supply loan information for renovation projects. The easier you can make all of this, the better. Having a point of contact for lending to complete home renovations, as well as information about the FHA 203k loans, is a way to map out financial planning should they choose to make changes to the property.

Lighten and brighten the space. Homes that were built many decades ago have smaller windows and therefore look darker. Remove heavy window treatments and let natural light flood into your home. Trim back shrubs and other greenery that are blocking the windows. Then, use the brightest (but not harsh) light bulbs you can to really make the space come alive.

Point out the perks. Whether your home is in the historic district, is close to many parks, is in a good school district, gets a high safety rating or is filled with families, highlight what is appealing. Live near public transit that can cut commute drives? Brag about it!

Paint the walls a neutral color. Rather than stick to basic white, give the walls a little something extra, but not too overwhelming, and you might help young buyers see the color palettes and potential décor. Gray is a popular color and neutral light browns can also be an easy color to work with.