The Point Loma Real Estate BLOG
What Home Buyers Really Want
Part 2: Rooms
With the basics out of the way, we can now begin talking about the specific features that buyers look for when purchasing a home in San Diego.
If you missed last week’s post, you can catch up here:
What Buyer’s Want #1: The Basics
Of course every buyer is different and will often be searching for a laundry list of criteria, but there are general trends.
So what do buyers want?
Photo: PointLomaRealEstateOnline.com
UPGRADED KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS
People like new kitchens and bathrooms. Homes with newly remodeled kitchens and/or bathrooms tend to get better offers, and more of them.
A big reason for this is that kitchens and bathrooms are the first rooms in a home to look “dated” due to things like color choice, cabinet styling, lighting fixtures, and the look of the appliances in the kitchen or fixtures in the bathroom. This is exacerbated by the fact that so much of what is in these rooms is “permanent.” It’s easy to change a ceiling fan, the wall color, or a closet door in a bedroom. It’s much harder to put in new kitchen cabinets or a new tub.
Kitchens and bathrooms are also the most expensive rooms to remodel, so when they ARE new, they tend to add a LOT of value to the home.
If you kitchen and/or bathrooms are showing their age and you don’t have the time, money, or inclination to do a complete remodel before you sell, there are plenty of quick and easy ways to spruce up the space without breaking the bank. A fresh coat of paint does wonders, new lighting fixtures always help to lighten up the space, and even something as small a new drawer pulls can make a big difference in the feel and look of the space.
Photo: PointLomaRealEstateOnline.com
A LAUNDRY ROOM
Once considered a luxury, today most buyers want a dedicated laundry room.
Unless you have a housekeeper, laundry is the chore that never ends. Even if you DO have a house cleaner, laundry is the chore that never ends. “Laundry,” and all of the appliances, detergents, pre-washes, ironing boards etc. etc. etc. that go along with it tend to take up a quite a bit of room.
The laundry area also tends to be a bit untidy and dirty. Those rags used to clean the house and the car have to sit somewhere until there is enough of them to fill a load. And what about the clothes with pre-wash soaking into them, and the constant noise from the washer and dryer?
Buyers want a laundry room. Ideally a dedicated one, though they will often settle for a laundry area in the garage. If your home already has one, it is a big bonus, and in some cases it might even be worth adding one if your home doesn’t “wow” in other areas especially since adding a basic one isn’t all that expensive.
Photo: PointLomaRealEstateOnline.com
FLEXIBILITY
The way you use your home and the way potential buyers are going to use the home are almost always nothing alike.
Every person has their own personal taste, needs, wants, and desires.
They might convert the master bedroom an office or artist’s studio and choose to sleep in a smaller bed room. They might enclose the outdoor patio and turn it into a “man cave.” The garage could become the project room. The list goes on and on. With the exception of (maybe) the bathrooms, nothing is off limits anymore. The buyers are trying to envision themselves living in the space, and open spaces help them to do just that. They want a home that will “flex” into what they need it to become.
The photo above is a great example from Liberty Station. This upstairs “loft” area can be used as an office, a children’s play area, or even completely walled in and turned into an additional bedroom all depending on the needs of the buyer.
If you have open space in your home, be sure it is featured when buyers come calling, it will almost always work in your favor.
If you found this article helpful you might want to check out our previous post on What Buyer’s Want #1: The Basics
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