If you are selling South Lake Tahoe real estate this spring and summer, you likely are motivated and looking to sell fast and for as close to ask price as possible. Ask any South Lake Tahoe Realtor and their seller and they will tell you there is nothing worse than almost making it to closing day and then have things fall apart last second over something that could have been avoided. Most of the time these things happen, it is due to something major. Other times, it can be something small and petty. Either way, if you are serious about listing homes for sale in South Lake Tahoe, be sure to have your bases covered and put your best foot forward from the beginning to cut down on surprises later. The folks at Realtor.com recently did a blog about some of the petty things that can cause a home to not sell. Check them out below.
Missing Window Treatments
A lot of times when buyers walk through homes for sale in South Lake Tahoe, they fall in love with the entire home and then come in to the walk through and see things missing. The most common item is window dressings. Blinds, rods, drapes, etc. that were previously there are now gone. Depending on the home, this can be a major bummer for the buyer. Especially because these décor items were involved in their first impression of the home. If these items are not excluded and signed off on in the contract, it could mean issues for the sellers. In most scenarios, the sellers will replace or reimburse, but if you find yourself falling in love with the fixtures in the home, make sure they are included. Whether it is window treatments, chandeliers, etc.
Replace Dead light bulbs, cover plates & batteries
This is a cheap fix and makes it seem like you have kept up on the South Lake Tahoe real estate in question. Chances are, your South Lake Tahoe Realtor will be focused on making sure the home seems light and bright from the beginning so light bulbs should not be an issue. Batteries for smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms need to be replaced for obvious safety reasons. Have missing cover plates for light switches? They are unsightly and while they likely won’t electrocute, who wants to chance it? These may seem like a cheap, insignificant thing that the buyer can deal with, but refusing to replace them can put a bad taste in a buyer’s mouth and kill a sale.
Odors, loose finishes, etc.
Speaking of small affordable fixes, before you list homes for sale in South Lake Tahoe, you have to tie up lose ends. Your South Lake Tahoe Realtor will walk you through getting the home ready from weird smells you got used to, to making sure loose hinges are tightened up to fixing leaky faucets. These seem inconsequential but they can make or break or sale. You want to make a good impression and when a buyer sees little flaws every where they look, it indicates that bigger issues could be lurking.
When listing South Lake Tahoe real estate, it is imperative to work with a professional who can help you put your best foot forward from the beginning. One little flaw may not be a deal breaker, but a bunch of fixes added up together can not only give off a bad impression but cause a deal to fall apart later on. For more information on the selling process, feel free to give me a call. I would be happy to help!
