I have had many of my investors ask me, "what do the buyers want?"

Here are the top 12 things the buyers of today (In general) are looking for in their new home.

1. MOVE IN CONDITION!    This is the most important. They want to be able to move right in and not have to do a thing.

2. UPDATED KITCHEN   This does not mean rip out all of the cabinets and install granite counter tops. You do not always have to spend a ton of money to update the kitchen. Call Joey to discuss this in more detail. 

3. UPDATED BATHROOM  Again, I am not telling you to rip out all of the tile and tub and start over from the studs. I can show you how to "update" that bathroom without spending thousands of dollars. Call Joey. 

4. STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES  Shop around to find the best price on these. They are not the right fit for all kitchens. White or black is a great second choice.  Already have an older fridge of another color? I can show you how to make that fridge white or black and no one will no you changed a thing!

5. HARDWOOD FLOORS  Yes, the buyers LOVE hardwood floors! RIP OUT THE OLD CARPET! Every time, never second guess this one. Pull up the carpet in the corner  of the room and rip away a piece of the padding to see if there is hardwood. If it's there, start ripping up that old carpet, padding and tack strips. Even if the wood isn't in perfect condition it is still better than the carpet was. The buyers see the wood and either you, based on your budget or the buyer can refinish it. Many people have allergies and do not want carpet anymore, especially other people's carpet.

6. UPDATED LIGHT FIXTURES  This makes a big difference in the look of every room. Shop around, buy in bulk and always buy the clearance items. If your an investor flipping houses you are going to use it in one house or the next. Lighting is so very important when showing the house as well. Use the higher wattage bulbs to brighten up each room as much as possible. No one likes "dark" rooms.

7. OPEN LAYOUT / GREAT ROOM / OPEN KITCHEN  If you have the opportunity to open up a room by removing a wall or creating a half wall to create the open layout feel do so. (Be careful to support the headers when removing any structure.) Widening doorways is also another way to give the older closed off homes to feel more open. For more ideas on this call Joey.

8. WARM NEUTRAL PAINT COLORS / NOT HAVE TO PAINT THEMSELVES Today's buyers do not want to paint. Period. They do not have the time or desire to do so. They might tackle the kids room to give them a certain color but they do not want to paint the main living areas. And they no longer like WHITE! White is a cold, bare and an empty "non-color". Do not use white! Gobi Desert from BEHR is a great warm and inviting color for any room. If your not sure what to use, go with Gobi. Joey will come out to your property and help you select all of your paint colors, carpet and flooring choices, what to do and what not to do for only 199.00 consultation fee. If you have that property staged by ECHS that 199.00 fee is a credit toward your staging! Call Joey today.

9. LARGE CLOSETS / WALK-IN CLOSETS  Make the most of these by putting in more than just a simple pole or two. Closet organizers are simple to install and are affordable and they really impress the BUYERS!

10. MASTER BATHROOM  If the property does not have one already I'm not saying to add a bathroom. That's a pretty big addition. But if it does have one, it needs to be drop dead gorgeous. this is where you spend some $ . Put in the new vanity and framed oval or square mirror, new towel bars, and a nice light fixture over the mirror.  When I stage master baths I make it feel like the buyer just stepped into a day at the spa. This is a GREAT selling feature.

11. FINISHED BASEMENT  If you have a paint sprayer, this is where you use it. Spray everything! The old stained drop ceiling and track, the walls, even if they are just concrete, paneling, cinder block, whatever, and don't forget the floor! White for the ceiling, a warmer tone for the walls and a deeper shade of the same color as the walls for the floor. Don't forget to do the proper prep work before painting so all your hard work doesn't start to flake off! Not sure what to do? Call Joey.

12. FIREPLACE  So the house doesn't already have a fireplace? That doesn't mean you cant add one. There are many pre made fireplace inserts and mantles on the market today. But make sure you are adding it to a room that is large enough to hold it. Crowding a smaller room with a fireplace is not a good idea. If the house does have a fireplace, how does it look? Is it outdated? A old gold / brass metal frame set into a dirty orange brick faced wall ?  Well, it is not 1976 anymore and you need to update that fireplace before putting the house on the market. Call Joey to find out all the steps to take.