3 Weird Things Smart Buyers Ignore

We've really seen all kinds of unique properties across the Triad, whether it's avocado appliances from the 50's, custom built 5'x8' gun cabinet/closet, or a room in the basement with more than enough fluorescent lights properties are as unique as their owners. With so many buyers competing for the best properties, looking past cosmetic items could make the difference between getting a good or great house. Here are three examples of weird things we at Pro Realty Group often see in the Triad that buyers should often ignore.

1. Wild Wallpaper and Dirty Carpet

Most buyers prefer to walk into and buy a home that seems to have just been on HGTV. With limited amounts of time in everyone's schedule buying a move-in ready home is a great idea! On the other end the cost of changing the wall color or replacing the floors can be much less than the home's value if this work had been done, even if you hired the work out to a professional. This will keep more money in pocket on a great house other buyers made the mistake of skipping over.

2. Rooms Being Strangely Used

Whether it's a bar in the dining room or pool table in the formal living room, rooms that are being used in an unconventional way often throw potential buyers off from being able to see the house for what it is. As best you can look past the decor and furniture at the rooms as spaces. Just because a seller has turned a bedroom into a shoe room doesn't mean that there will be any impact on room's ability to be a bedroom for you once they move out.

3. Too Strong a Seller Presence

The worst showings I've ever been on where the ones that the seller decided to stay despite their agent's strong discouragement. I've never had a buyer that was able to quite feel "at home" with a seller present. Likewise personal family photos, diplomas, scents, and or other over-personalizations (this means you sports fanatics) can keep a buyer from seeing the house as their future home.

As a buyer you can often cash in on what's running others off. The sellers will remove their photos, memorabilia, and diplomas from the walls when they move leaving it wide open for you to get a great deal. In today's market this could mean the difference between finding a great house and settling for something that seemed good. A great agent can help you sift past a sellers "stuff" and determine whether the house you're in could be "the one."