advice for first time sellers (agents, sales, price, value)

[weaverra]

One of the things I did notice is that there were several price drops close together. You do have to be careful of realtors lowering the price to a point where they know they will get a sale, but may not be the best situation for you. You stand to lose the most in the price cuts. Honestly if your realtor just dropped the price on the home just because a home similar listed cheaper then let that other home sell first. It kind of sounds like your realtor is looking for her quick commission. Not saying that's the case, but I would definitely be cautious in dropping to price any further.

[Jkgourmet]

I really liked the description on Zillow. However, I did not like the photos. They are dark, make the house look dark. That one photo of the secondary bathroom (the one with the pink tiles) I'd leave it out entirely - it just makes me scream OLD OLD OLD. I would have repainted the green wall in the room with the crib.

And the front photo of the house shows a certain lack of curb appeal.

The house shows well, looks spiffy and clean, and you've done some very nice upgrades, IMO.

[HV_Mom]

Frankly, in those pics I don't see a lot of focus on what to do with the rooms. If I were looking at houses I would put this on the maybe pile. Specifically:

- the living room and dining room could really use a rug to ground them
- the sun room looks like it has two different types of rugs, that along with the light boxes on the ceiling make it look closed in
- the baby's room, move the changer slightly and put the diaper genie back in the corner behind it (you can still reach it easily but doesn't jump out so much)
- the room with the rocking chairs, change out the rug for one that has color but is less busy as that takes away from the size of the space and the nice fireplace
- the guest room is so focused on the bed I can't tell the size of the room
- the bathroom vanities and the shower are very nice but it is really hard to tell what else is in that room or the size of it
- I second the idea of it lacking in curb appeal, some cheap planters or baskets with annuals in them can add a nice pop of color

Hopefully that gives you some good ideas for changes that you can do for little money. Overall I like the house a lot.

As for lowering the price, I would hold off at least a week or two. Even though there is now some competition doing that only days after you just did it screams of desperation and you'll get time wasters who will make lowball offers. I think improved pics and an open house, if you did not already have one, will help bring people in which is the key to getting a buyer.

[weaverra]

Originally Posted by HV_Mom

As for lowering the price, I would hold off at least a week or two. Even though there is now some competition doing that only days after you just did it screams of desperation and you'll get time wasters who will make lowball offers. I think improved pics and an open house, if you did not already have one, will help bring people in which is the key to getting a buyer.

I will give one good reason why not to just follow other listings. Unless you know their motivation behind the price I wouldn't drop it based on a new listing. It could be their home is going into foreclosure in a month. There may be something wrong with the lower priced home where the price reflects the actual condition.

[hunterseat]

I love your house. I might be going to the Killeen area. How far is that?

Why not rent it out for a bit if you don't sell it? People are doing better with that in some areas. Until the market comes back up. I don't think it's been too long.

[jomotionreplay]

Originally Posted by hunterseat

I love your house. I might be going to the Killeen area. How far is that?

Why not rent it out for a bit if you don't sell it? People are doing better with that in some areas. Until the market comes back up. I don't think it's been too long.

Ha, a little too far! 4.5 hours or so. Hell of a commute :P

Part of the money from the sale will go towards the down payment on the new house or else we would probably try that. We don't HAVE to move, as in we aren't being relocated for work or anything, but we are wanting to switch school districts.

To be clear earlier, I LOVE our agent. She has always been open and honest with us. I have never felt like she was out to get her commission and run. My frustration is rooted in this whole stinky process that has me ready to rip my hair out.

It's funny you mention the pink bathroom and the green paint in the baby's room. I mentioned to both the agent and the stager that I was planning to paint the nursery and reglaze the pink tiles white before we listed and both of them separately said that they wouldn't. Not much was said about the green, but they both said that people expect that in a house that is the age ours is. I still reglazed the tub and surround to make it shiny and new, and now I'm wondering if I should have done the rest as well.

One of the caravan comments was that we lacked curb appeal so we spent our first weekend on the market cleaning up the yard and planting flowers and painting the front door robins egg blue. I am willing to make those kinds of changes if it will help it sell faster, but I can't see spending $100 a pop on rugs etc that I probably won't be able to use in the new house.

[Silverfall]

I don't know about your area, but carports out here with no garage are hard to sell. We get very few showings on those properties.

[Jkgourmet]

Rugs and other stuff can be purchased very cheaply on Craigslist. Then, when you move, resell them on Craigslist. I'm not lying when I say I've actually made a few bucks in the reselling of that staging stuff.

as far as reglazing the tiles, I wouldn't. It's not just the pink color that's a problem. Not to be negative, but the whole bathroom needs to be gutted and updated. Leave that for the buyer. I might replace the shower curtain with something brighter, with towels to match. Personally, I'd repaint the green wall. It can't hurt and might help, and is a cheap thing to take care of.

[GotHereQuickAsICould]

Originally Posted by HV_Mom

Frankly, in those pics I don't see a lot of focus on what to do with the rooms. If I were looking at houses I would put this on the maybe pile. Specifically:

- the living room and dining room could really use a rug to ground them
- the sun room looks like it has two different types of rugs, that along with the light boxes on the ceiling make it look closed in
- the baby's room, move the changer slightly and put the diaper genie back in the corner behind it (you can still reach it easily but doesn't jump out so much)
- the room with the rocking chairs, change out the rug for one that has color but is less busy as that takes away from the size of the space and the nice fireplace
- the guest room is so focused on the bed I can't tell the size of the room
- the bathroom vanities and the shower are very nice but it is really hard to tell what else is in that room or the size of it
- I second the idea of it lacking in curb appeal, some cheap planters or baskets with annuals in them can add a nice pop of color

Hopefully that gives you some good ideas for changes that you can do for little money. Overall I like the house a lot.

As for lowering the price, I would hold off at least a week or two. Even though there is now some competition doing that only days after you just did it screams of desperation and you'll get time wasters who will make lowball offers. I think improved pics and an open house, if you did not already have one, will help bring people in which is the key to getting a buyer.

I agree with the above. The photos don't create a story of what a wonderful home this would be to live in.

Great kitchen, gorgeous hardwood floors, wonderful neighborhood.

If people are not coming through there are usually three problems. Few potential buyers in the area, priced too high, photos don't do it justice.

I don't know about the buyers but things usually pick up around here in May because people get serious about moving in before school starts. Don't know about price but this seems to be an amazing price to me for this size home in such a great neighborhood. I think your photos could be more enticing.

1) Carport dominates the photo of the front of the house. I would recommend a photo that does not include the sidewalk or the carport. A photo focusing on the entryway flanked by house with the shrubs would look more upscale. Also, this would shorten the photo which would make it larger on the slideshow. I agree that some pots of flower would help.

2) Staging often involves vignettes that invite you to get come get comfortable. Your living room photo looks bare to me. The large white coffee table dominates the photo. The only thing that says "come, sit a spell" is the leather chair. Perhaps a closer view of it and the fireplace, maybe with an end table with a book and glass of wine or ??? Maybe get a rug to anchor the area and use a coffee table that blends more.

3) The large white coffee table dominates this photo as well.

4) Maybe closer on the table and have it set with placemats, etc.

5) Nice large space, but I already know it's 2,600 sq. ft. Need something to invite me into the space.

6) Here's the coffee table that might be work better than the white one. With some nice books, etc. it would not dominate the visual space and might be more inviting. I'd ditch the white rug in this photo. I think the sofa would look fine against the floor underneath and would be less busy, more inviting.

7) Not sure what this photo is missing but it occurred to me that a number of large plants here and there about your house would look great against these gorgeous floors and would create a more upscale look. These can be purchased at minimal cost at any home improvement store.

8) Crop this photo to get rid of the red cabinet. It just looks busy with the microwave on top and all. Focus on the view into the kitchen.

9) Nice photo.

10) Great kitchen photos. Counters look a little busy. Maybe bowl of fruit and forget the hand towels hanging on the wall. Personally, I'd move the kitchen photos closer to the front. This is more enticing to me than photo after photo of sofas and such.

11) Looks busy. Clear off the mantle. Get rid of the stuff on the hearth. Maybe a plant on the far end. Rug looks too white, bright, busy. Can you find something that goes better with the two chairs? Maybe a table between them with something like a couple books on top.

12) This looks awkward with the pillows up against the window and no headboard. Is there a better shot of this room as an office?

13) Skip this one altogether. Looks outdated. A vintage looking shower curtain might be better for showings, but leave this out. It doesn't convey the updated feeling of the rest of the house.

14) Replace the diaper deal with a plant.

15) Get rid of the dresser. It doesn't match the bed and adds little to the room. Put comfy chair on the left hand side with a side table. Open the curtains. Create the look of a comfortable, inviting adult retreat.

16) Shower looks good.

17) Skip this photo. Doesn't add anything. Unless you want to pair it with photo 18 to show that you have dual vanities.

18) This is a great photo with the mirror reflecting the mirror.

19) Great backyard.

20) Now the front of the house shows up full size for me. The carport is even more dominating in this photo. I'd recommend the focus be an inviting entryway flanked by the house and the shrubs.

Overall, I'd say that you have a great home but your photos could tell a more inviting story.

Good luck.

[Jukesgrrl]

Here's what I see as the main obstacle to your sale and, unfortunately, I can't imagine what you can do about it. In the first photo (exterior), the home appears as a classic Mid-century Modern ranch house. Something still treasured by many Texans. There are Realtors in Texas who specialize in the MCM style and know how to market to its audience. The retro ranch is a very hip thing — with younger people especially. Even that pink-tiled bathroom is not a major obstacle for fans of MCM. I see ads for MCM Texas homes in Atomic Ranch magazine all the time.

But the interior of your house has been remodeled in a very traditional decor style that is at odds with the exterior. The fireplace in the main room, the paneled wainscoting, the white paneled cabinetry, the dark wood flooring, the traditional ceiling fans, are all things one would find in the home of someone who goes after the formal, almost Colonial Williamsburg look. The furniture used in the staging of the main rooms emphasizes that.

The clash between the architecture and the interior decorating IMHO has devalued the property. The buyers you're going to appeal to are only those not bothered by this esthetic issue.

One tip I would give you about the photos: the fact that the ceilings (with their air vents) appear in the interior photos is a distraction. Ranch houses are supposed to have lower ceilings and it's not inherently a problem with the style of the home. But it's something else that jumps out as particular to the 1960s, and is at odds with the other aspects of the interior. And I agree with the person who suggested dropping the photo of the pink bathroom from the online listing. The written description lists its existence and the other bathroom looks brand new. That's enough. The photo might keep some people who would like the rest of the property from a tour. If you re-take any of the photos, try to get those ceilings out of the picture so the viewer imagines the rooms have higher ceilings. It will make the house look bigger and airier. If you can get a close-up exterior photo that shows your newly painted door and the flowers you planted, that might be an attractive view to advertise.

My own personal selling experience taught me that the lack of a full-blown traditional garage is also a serious negative to today's buyer. Especially if your home lacks a basement (?) My house even had a full basement with an exit to the back yard (and no lack of storage space as it also had an attic). Yet I was still rejected for the lack of a full garage more than any other factor. When your Realtor priced the house did she have carport homes as comps?

I'd be put off, as you are, by these suggestions to drop the price a second time when you've had so few viewers. As a buyer, repeatedly dropped prices are a red flag to me. Whether or not it's true, it makes me think something is wrong and the seller has no faith that the price was set accurately.

I don't care how many houses this Realtor has sold — my bet is she either overpriced yours or is under-marketing it. She needs to do some serious advertising (even if she has to invest some money) to make up for that. Your house has many positives she can emphasize. The extra rooms for relaxation are great for people who entertain or have teens — as is the beautiful back yard. Also the price-per-square foot seems low for a solid neighborhood. Is the school district good? If so, definitely emphasize that in your listing as well as if you're close to good shopping or employment centers.

Best of luck to you.