By Russ Downing
Whether you are trying to buy or sell a home, thinking like a house hunter is critical.
Buyers have a “checklist” and want a home that will “check” all of their boxes. Everyone’s list is different, but some features are on most people’s lists so they are deemed hot. As a seller, it’s important to realize what house hunters are looking for to make sure your home stand out. Here’s some things house hunters think about.
Location: Can I see myself living here? Location, location, location. It’s the top rule of real estate. Buyers always seem to want the best location they can get in their budget, whether that’s being on a golf course, having a killer view, being close to shopping or being close to town.
Look: Would I want to call this my home? Buying a particular house tells a lot about a person. First impressions are huge so making sure all of the details are picture perfect is a big deal.
Size: Is the house going to be big enough for my needs? Since house hunters usually use search filters when looking for homes on property websites, they generally have a minimum count in mind for bedrooms and baths. In order to make sure your home is most appealing, ensure that all of the bedrooms are counted even if you’ve been allocating one for a different use. Point that out to perspective buyers, or make sure your agent does. Just because a bedroom works as an office for you, it may not for the next owner.
Stuff: Will my stuff fit? For house hunters, it’s always about them and their needs. They want to figure out how they would live in the space and how their TV and couch will be configured. Really! TV’s are getting bigger and bigger so the easier it is for buyers to see how they can use the space, the more likely they are to feel at ease. Artwork can be another priority for buyers. I recently had a client who years ago had purchased a 70-year-old handmade tapestry in Myanmar that was huge. So big in fact that he has never been able to hang it because he’s never had a house with a big enough wall, in a family area, that could accommodate it. One of the criteria of every house we visited was would this tapestry fit.
Livability: Is the house updated? Could I move right in? If not, what would I need to do? When a house is turnkey, a buyer could move right in and not do a thing. Some homes are cosmetic fixers, meaning they are a bit outdated but functional and could be upgraded over time. Then there are the major fixers. There’s a buyer for each, but as a seller it’s best to know where your home falls on this scale and price accordingly.
As a buyer, it is equally important to do your research on budgeting for a home and deciding whether or not you want to pay top dollar for a turnkey home or pay less for a fixer and invest money and time in fixing it up.
A client recently sold a condominium he had had on the market for over 7 years. In one week he had two families bidding against each other to buy it. There’s a buyer out there for your property but with the above tips hopefully you’ll find them sooner rather than later.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Russ Downing is Managing Director of HOT Hua Hin Property and has for the last 9 years headed up the Hua Hin judging team for the Thailand Property Awards, widely seen as the Academy Awards for the Thailand Property Sector. Russ’s articles have been translated and re-printed in a large popular Chinese magazine and he has had 3 of his luxury listings chosen for the Wall Street Journal’s “House of the Day” feature with near worldwide exposure in the WSJ’s U.S., European and Asian editions as well as online.
If you are looking to purchase or sell a home in Hua Hin contact Russ at 084 387 5699 or russ@hothuahin.com, www.hothuahinproperty.com.