What do buyers want, now, in the spring of 2017?
If you are considering selling and wondering what the chatter is, what people are wanting in their next home, see below for the most common asks we are hearing from our buyers now.
“There’s not a lot on the market.” No, there isn’t. This is the overall issue everywhere- simply not enough houses to go around. If you have a house you are even thinking about selling in the next few years, call your realtor to discuss. It may not be worth it to wait.
“I want one-level living.” We are seeing a lot of empty-nesters hit the market looking for one-level living, as well as buyers planning for the older years in advance.
“I want kitchen cabinets in white or gray.” If there is one thing you can do to help update your home before hitting the market, there are a lot of buyers looking for white or gray cabinets that follow the trends in new kitchen building. Kitchens are also a room of the house that really sell a home. People can often look past other updates, but really want to enjoy their kitchen space. However, if you are thinking of selling pass this buy your realtor first and we can give you the right advice.
“I don’t like these paint colors.” It can be hard for buyers to look past bold or outdated paint colors. The easiest way to boost the appeal of your home is to paint. Pick a neutral shade that can complement the woodwork of your home.
“I want a good school district.” More and more families are conscientious of moving into a good school district for their children. If you live in one of these areas with continually highly ranked school districts, now might be the time to sell.
“I want an open floor plan.” Buyers are looking for open spaces, open dining and entertaining areas.
“I want an easy drive time to work.” More and more people are looking for faster commutes as life gets busier. We are seeing a lot of activity in first tier suburbs as people aim to be closer to work.
And, the number one thing we hear from our buyers:
“Will there be more coming on market?” Buyers are needing to be patient as we wait for more to hit the market and more inventory to go around.
Given the positive economic markers, home prices and mortgages will go up. While all good things, if you’re thinking of selling in the next few years, now is the time. Home prices are anticipated to increase 3.9 percent and existing home sales are forecasted to increase 1.9 percent to 5.46 million homes. Interest rates are expected to reach 4.5 percent due to higher expectations for inflationary pressure in the year ahead. (Realtor.com Research)
