4 Property Value Killers
If you’re considering selling your home in South Florida, you naturally want to get the highest property value you can for your home. Even if you’ve lived in your home for many years, the value of your home can fluctuate wildly. Market indicators, neighborhood conditions and upgrades or renovations to your home will all affect the price you can ask for your house. You may be surprised as some easy fixes you can do that will not only improve the overall look of your home, but will prevent a drop in property value.
When Bigger Isn’t Better
You may have heard the saying “Buy the cheapest house on the nicest block in town.” The idea behind that saying is by buying the least expensive home in a neighborhood, the properties around your house will help keep your home value high, while the actual cost of the house won’t be as high as the surrounding homes. Contrary to popular belief, though, having the biggest house on the block isn’t always your best bet. If your house is significantly larger than the other homes in the neighborhood, buyers may be tempted to look for a house in a more evenly proportioned area. Before you add on a second story, consider your long-range plans for resale purposes.
Making Your Mark Isn’t a Good Thing
Everyone has their own way of looking at the world – it’s what makes being a human so much fun. So while we all applaud your sense of individuality in painting your front door in a tribute to Jackson Pollack, your house value will most likely go down. Before putting your house on the market, paint over your personal expressions of color and patterns – giving the potential buyer the chance to notice the beauty of the house – not the swirls of your latest color scheme.
Mix and Match Kitchen
It’s understandable – the dishwasher breaks down and you can barely scrape together enough money to replace it. You find the least expensive model and buy it – no matter what color it is. This explains why every appliance in the kitchen is a different surface and color – glass top stove (white), French door fridge (stainless), dishwasher (black). They all work, and after a while you don’t really notice them. The problem is, the potential buyer will notice, and your property value is taking another hit. Before listing your house, invest in quality appliances that match.
Crazy Neighbors
Every block has that one neighbor….that’s not what we’re talking about here. Homeowner’s Associations can be the bane of your house selling experience. If your association thinks it is the neighborhood police department, or if it is permanently on vacation and does nothing, your property value may suffer. Try to minimize the damage by showing the house on inactive association days, or by being upfront about the hurdles of living there.
With a few simple steps, you can increase your home’s value and make sure you are getting maximum selling price for your South Florida property.