How to Look at Your Home the Way a Prospective Buyer Does

When it comes to preparing your home for sale, a highly effective approach is putting yourself in the mind of a potential buyer. In your eyes, your home might be perfect. A potential buyer, on the other hand, likely has different criteria for evaluating a property. If you know what buyers are specifically looking for, you can tailor your home preparation process to these characteristics, ensuring you’re spending this time and effort wisely. 

With this in mind, here’s what buyers tend to pay most attention to when touring homes for sale: 

Curb Appeal 

Here in Miami, curb appeal is very important – the initial impressions of a home determines how willing a buyer is to accepting some other elements of the home that they see as less-than ideal, like most places. So, take a look at your house from the outside, and see what could use improvement. 

For instance, when was the last time you pressure cleaned the driveway and walkways? Could your home use a new coat of paint? Have your bushes and hedges been trimmed? Do your oaks and/or palm trees look like they belong in a landscaper’s ad? 

Updated Kitchen 

The kitchen is widely viewed as the heart of the home, so it will probably get more attention from potential buyers than any other space. Depending on how you are marketing the home (move-in ready or ready for the buyer’s final touches), this is where, you want the kitchen to reflect the amount of space that is actually in there. 

Make sure the lighting is great (if you don’t have under-cabinet lighting, look to get some added), the counters are clear and the kitchen is spotless. Whether buyers cook or not, they love to see there is space to work & entertain in the kitchen. 

Minor Problems That Need Fixing

When pristine is the standard, potential buyers are extra wary of minor details. They’ll notice a door that doesn’t open or close properly, a faucet that drips, cracked counter tops, and scratches on the flooring. These might seem like small problems, but this is what potential buyers think about when they’re debating between two houses. Though every home has flaws, anything that’s immediately noticeable should be repaired. Minor, inexpensive updates like polishing the wood floors or adding some fresh paint can also make a space look much more luxurious. 

Does the Home Feel Warm and Inviting? 

Potential buyers want to see homes that are warm and inviting. They’re looking for a sense of life and you want to make it easy for them to envision themselves living there.   

However, you can still breathe more life into your home with little adjustments like setting the kitchen table, placing a bouquet of flowers in the center, adding fresh linens to your bathroom, opening the blinds, etc. Just like those minor blemishes, little things can really go a long way in a potential buyer’s memory, even something like a bowl filled with fresh fruit in the kitchen. 

And always make sure to take the AC down a few degrees an hour before anyone is going to tour the home. Nothing like coming out of the heat into a nice, cool home (plus it cycles the air to ensure it’s fresh). 

Are you thinking about putting your Miami home on the market? If so, a great first step is contacting an experienced local real estate agency, and the Kern Team is happy to guide you through the process. We’ll tell you exactly what buyers are looking for in today’s market in your neighborhoos so you can maximize your home’s value before selling. 

Reach out to us today and let’s take this life-changing journey together!