If you’re about to put your home on the market and want to ensure that it gets noticed by buyers you may be wondering just exactly what most buyers in today’s market are looking for when searching for a home. There are many different factors that play into the decision of whether or not someone is interested in purchasing your home, but here are a few of the more common ones that realtors have noticed among today’s buyers.
If a buyer has school-aged children, or even children that will be attending school in the future, one of the most important aspects is the quality of the schools surrounding your home. Almost half of all potential buyers will pay top dollar for a home if it ensures that their child will attend a great school. In addition to the quality of the schools, buyers also want a home that is within a reasonable distance from their job. A recent study found that many Americans are looking for an equal balance between work and home life and purchasing a home that mitigates their commute time can help with respect to that. The quality of the neighborhood is also an important factor but this all depends on the make-up of an individual household. Buyers aren’t all looking for the exact same neighborhood, but you should know what type of buyer your neighborhood will attract and market your home towards that buyer type.
While the previously mentioned items actually have nothing to do with the physical characteristics of your home there are, of course, certain physical aspects that many buyers in today’s market are looking for. One feature that buyers want in a home, and that many sellers don’t even take into consideration, is the energy efficiency of a home. It used to be common for buyers to request information on the homes energy bills before deciding to purchase and while this isn’t really the trend anymore, over 90% of all buyers want an energy-star rated home; this includes windows, appliances, ceiling fans, everything. If you’re looking to get the most money for your home think about just how energy efficient it is going to be for that potential buyer. Other important characteristics to today’s typical buyer include an open floor plan, high ceilings and ceiling fans. While you don’t want to change the entire layout of you home, creating a more open feeling can definitely be a plus if you’re looking to sell.
Lastly, there are the financial aspects concerning a buyer on today’s market. A vast majority of buyers today are looking to purchase a home that they can live in for years down the road; this didn’t use the be the case but with the housing market just now starting to recover buyers want to buy and stay put for the foreseeable future. Buyers will take into consideration how much home they’re getting for their money before ultimately making a decision on which home is the right one for them.