Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Buying a home can be a long and stressful endeavor. As buyers we all might have an image of a dream home that all the potential houses must stand up against. These homes are our version of perfection. Unfortunately most homes do not live up to our expectations. 99.9 percent of the homes that we will encounter will have at least one undesirable trait. Many times that one undesirable trait is enough to scare the buyer away. If that happens at every house, the buyer and real estate agent might find themselves with a long and stressful search ahead of them.
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Why Some Problems Really Aren’t as Bad as You May Think
Not all home problems should warrant a home being placed on your black list. Holes in the roof, lead based paint on the walls, outdated equipment in every room of the house. Those are problems that will take major renovations and lots money to fix. If your instincts are telling you to run the other way, you should probably do so in these cases.
The problem comes when you let tiny issues shatter your image of a house. It happens all the time. A buyer sees a weed infested yard or an out of date front door, and suddenly they begin looking for more issues. All of the small issues that they find become as bad as that one major issue. What they are not able to identify is that those small problems are often very easy and relatively cheap to fix. You may decide that the house isn’t meant for you and your family, but try not to let little problems ruin a solid home.
Going In With the Right Frame of Mind
Due to the fact that you might be predisposed to nit-pick every house that you come across, you should attempt to have an open mind before attending each viewing. Try to determine if the reasons you dislike the house are fixable and how much effort it would take to fix the problems. You may end up deciding that you absolutely hate the house, but at least you gave the house a fair chance instead of dismissing it at a glance.
Some Easy Fixes to Look Out For
In the realm of problem areas in a home there are many problems that you will be able to fix easily after you have purchased the home. If you are unsure how serious a problem is, you should research what you need to do to fix the problem. There is a fine line you must walk between open-minded and foolhardy. Here are a few easy fixes:
Out of date and corroded door knobs and hinges: Both problems are a quick and cheap fix. Door knobs can be bought for $3, and hinges can be purchased for $.50. Both are mere pittance.
Hideous landscaping: If the sellers did not maintain their yard, you can with some work and a bit of money very easily wrangle the yard into behaving. Weed killer can be purchased for $20. And as for the work, if you have kids you can pay the kids to care for the yard. The work will do them good. If you don’t have kids, you might want to think of it as an opportunity to
Paint and wallpaper corroded or hideous: If necessary you can purchase a gallon of paint for as cheap as $10. Repainting a wall does not take any particular skills, and the entire paint job can be completed in a few hours. Wallpaper can be purchased as cheap as $20. While wallpaper is harder to remove than paint, the overall job can still be completed relatively easily. If you do not feel up to the challenge of removing the wallpaper, you can outsource the work to a handy-man.
Windows lets in too much light: If you believe that your family room or bedroom receives too much light or leaves too much of your space visible to your neighbors, the problem can be easily fixed. Blinds, drapes, and curtains are cheap décor that serves as both a functional means to control the amount of light let into the room, and a fun piece of decoration to add flavor to your room. You can also opt to add window film to the rooms that receive too much sun. This will decrease both the amount of sun and heat that enters the home through the windows.
With an open mind and a little knowledge you will be well on your way to discovering your future home in a timely manner. While you shouldn’t sell out and purchase a home you can’t see yourself living in. Having an open mind might allow you to discover a diamond in the rough.
