In a perfect world, we would find the perfect house in our price range, in the perfect neighborhood, tastefully decorated with great curb appeal. The truth of the matter is that many of the sellers whose homes you will be viewing will have very different taste in decorating than you do.
I always encourage potential buyers to look past the features that are easily and inexpensively changed. Sometimes, a fresh coat of paint and new carpeting can turn a so-so house into your dream home. A house with potential can be an excellent deal, if you know what to look for, and what to look past.
Does this House Have Potential?
These are the features I advise buyers to look at when viewing potential homes:
- Floor plan
The floor plan of a home is very important. If the rooms are tiny and make you feel claustrophobic, you may be able to knock down a wall and open up a room or two. Additions are also a possibility. This is a rather expensive renovation, so keep the cost in mind if you decide to make an offer.
- Walls
Walls make a big impression. If you like the floor plan, location, and size of a house, consider overlooking ugly wallpaper or dirty walls. You can always wash them and add a coat of paint. Try to picture the walls fresh and clean in the color of your choice.
- Floors
Outdated carpet, broken tiles, and scuffed floors are fairly easy to replace, and many buyers will give you a credit towards the replacement costs.
- View
You can’t do much about the view of the neighbor’s yard, but you can clean the windows and replace the window treatments.
- Landscaping
If the yard is sparsely landscaped, you can add in pieces you like without spending a ton of money.
- Closets and garages
I’ve never seen a home that had too much storage space, which explains the popularity of three car garages in recent years. If the closets are filled with clutter, try to imagine how they would look empty.
- Kitchen
Most buyers want a big kitchen with modern appliances. It’s not that easy to make a small kitchen bigger, but it is simple to update the appliances, add a coat of paint, and upgrade the countertops and cabinets. As long as you like the size and general layout of the kitchen, the updates are inexpensive and do-able.
- The exterior
As much as I try to convince my sellers of the importance of curb appeal, I still occasionally come across houses where the landscaping is a mess and the house could use a good coat of paint. As long as the foundation is strong, and you like the general look of the house, these are easy fixes.
- Pools
I always advise buyers who want an in-ground pool to look at homes that already have them. Pools are expensive to build, and sellers rarely get a good return on them. It is much less expensive to repair a pool than it is to build a new one, so it might be worth it to purchase a home even if the pool needs work.
I always advise buyers to consider which features they just can’t live without in a home. If the home inspection comes back clean, it can be worth the effort and minor expense of upgrading a few cosmetic issues in an otherwise great house. Try to picture the home with the changes you would make, and keep an open mind. That so-so house could turn out to be your dream home.
Guest blog provided by Kimberley Kelly a La Quinta Realtor. You can check out Kim’s website where you can search all La Quinta CA homes for sale, Palm Springs CA homes for sale and Palm Desert CA homes for sale.