What’s Your Northern Virginia Home Lacking?

With the emergence of channels like HGTV and shows like House Hunters, it’s become apparent to me that today’s home buyer is looking for a property that already has their ideal amenities. They don’t want to have to put that in themselves. Rather, they want to move in and have them ready and waiting. As strange as it sounds, part of my job as a Northern Virginia real estate professional is to watch shows like this and keep track of what today’s buyer is looking for in a potential home. I then use this information to help my seller clients know what features of their property they should be marketing to buyers.

Times have changed, and today’s home buyer isn’t looking for the basics. Now, you need to have more amenities, energy-efficient appliances and eye-catching décor to get people’s attention. With that in mind, there are things you can do to emphasize what qualities your home does have and get more buyers walking through the door. These include:

•    Highlighting unseen amenities. Not all of your home’s perks may be completely visible to a Northern Virginia home buyer at first glance. You need to make your real estate agent aware of the hidden gems within your property so they can sell it to buyers. These include things like picturesque views, abundant storage space and over-sized garages. These are things a buyer may not notice immediately but could play a role in whether or not they end up making an offer.
•    Draw attention to brands. We live in a society where people are brand-crazy. They hear about our nation’s celebrities owning a particular kind of stove and all of a sudden that brand is nowhere to be found in any appliance store. If you have a particular brand of appliance that stands out or a specific sort of tile you use that is considered “high-end”, that’s what you need to be selling to today’s buyer.
•    You’re selling a lifestyle, not a home. This is an important mantra to remember as you and your Northern Virginia real estate agent start preparing your home for showings. The home can be immaculate, perfect and up-to-date, but if the physical living situation and community isn’t up-to-par you could lose out on an offer. Sell your community as strongly as possible and focus on the memories that can be created in the home. The sooner you can get a buyer envisioning themselves in your property, the faster you’ll see an offer.

If you can keep these three things in mind when you prepare your Northern Virginia home for sale, then come showing time you’ll be giving the buyers what they want: a lifestyle, branding and amenities that they’ve come to know as “ideal.” As a Northern Virginia real estate agent, I pride myself on knowing what today’s buyers are looking for and helping my seller clients achieve that.

If you have any questions about how to prepare your home for sale on the Northern Virginia real estate market, don’t hesitate to contact me and ask. I hope to hear from you soon!

Earle Whitmore
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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