10 Things That Don’t Sell a Home in Sacramento

When sellers in Sacramento call to ask questions about how to prepare a home for sale, if they haven’t already read a few of my articles online, I send links to those informational pieces. Other agents in Sacramento do the same thing because I often get emails asking if it’s OK to republish my stuff on their websites (it’s not, because About.com shares the copyright), but they can publish a few sentences, hopefully the words without profanity, and then link to my content. Apart from knowing what does sell a home, it’s imperative to know the things that don’t sell a home in Sacramento.

Discussing these things in advance with sellers saves me a lot of time on the phone and in person when I show up to list a home in Sacramento or  in Placer County. I can assure you without hesitation what sells today, and what kind of improvements a seller should make to prepare a home for sale without even seeing the home because I know precisely what does not sell.

Today’s first-time home buyers don’t think in terms of fixing up stuff or replacing outdated fixtures. If you ask them what it costs to paint a house, they’ll tell you $50,000. Home buyers will simply cross your home off the list if it doesn’t measure up to expectations and consider buying a different home that does.

If you have the following features in your home, you should get rid of them, if you can:

Things to Get Rid That Don’t Sell a Home in Sacramento

1. laminate flooring that looks exactly like laminate flooring
2. glossy tiled kitchen counters
3. white kitchen appliances
4. goldish / brassy light fixtures and faucets
5. worn oak cabinets
6. white walls
7. wallpaper
8. jangly old-fashioned ceiling fans
9. stained and worn carpeting
10. weather beaten front door

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to prepare your home for sale in our present real estate market. I find that many sellers go overboard and make repairs that won’t ever return their investment. Doing the wrong things is just like pitching money out the window. Everybody has their own idea about what looks good and what doesn’t, so stop arguing with your spouse about it — take advice from a Sacramento REALTOR who talks to buyers all day long and sells a ton of homes in Sacramento Valley.