Home and Auto House buying - What is your deal killer? - Page 2

**007** · 09-10-2011, 10:47 AM

We may be putting our house on the market and the Realtor gave us a short list of things we should do. Some I understand but at least one I don't.

When you enter our house, the first thing you see is a hardwood floor hallway and a carpeted stairwell going upstairs. The Realtor wants us recarpet it because of the color. It is a slate blue. I've never had an issue with it and I've never had anyone who has come into our home comment on it.

Would any of you allow the color of a stairwell carpet dissuade you from purchasing an entire house?

Johnny Vegas · 09-10-2011, 11:08 AM

how many houses are for sale on your street?

Chief Pote · 09-10-2011, 11:09 AM

Your realtor is just trying to make the sale real easy. All neutral colors attract more buyers. Making a statement with pastels turns some off.

LiveSteam · 09-10-2011, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guru

It isn't great but it isn't bad either. I keep standing at my doorway looking at it and thinking to myself why anyone would let that sway them from buying. Even if it is the first thing they see.

I trust my Realtor but I'm having a hard time with this one item.

I would use Chem dry on the carpet & call it good.

jspchief · 09-10-2011, 11:15 AM

I'm thinking the realtor is afraid people will see blue and immediately think "dated"

Maybe the difference between a faster sale. You have to remember how much of a buyer's market it is. People have the luxury of nit-picking.

If it were me, I'd price a carpet change and weigh that against my desire for a speedy sale. Keep in mind that even cheap brand new carpet is going to look nice, so it's not like you need to go get the quality of stuff that you'd buy for yourself.

**Bugeater** · 09-10-2011, 11:31 AM

To me, a deal killer is something that can't easily be changed, i.e. small kitchen or bathrooms.

09-10-2011, 11:38 AM

I would listen to your realtor. It's the first thing you see and it's not attractive. First impressions will dictate how the entire house is viewed.

**DaFace** · 09-10-2011, 11:42 AM

Hell, when we viewed our house, there was a 5-foot-tall Broncos helmet fathead on the wall of one of the bedrooms. If I can look past that, people should be able to look past blue carpet.

Ace Gunner · 09-10-2011, 11:43 AM

Ya, I've got that slate blue in my basement and had a realtor comment as well even though the carpet is in great shape. I wouldn't play with it unless it's beat, which it seems yours isn't.

**alnorth** · 09-10-2011, 11:43 AM

This is the sort of thing that does not lend itself to message board polls. I'd also say "no, I don't think I'd care", but I don't know that because it would be a subconscious response.

A lot of people see 5 or 6 houses that, objectively speaking, they should like equally because all the details of condition, location, layout, etc are very similar, but they will zero in on one because of a vague feeling.

Maybe the realtor is right, or maybe they don't know what they are talking about, but you'd almost need to conduct an experiment with houses that have blue carpet on stairs vs those that have white carpet on stairs to see if there's a noticeable difference in number of people willing to make an offer.

Ace Gunner · 09-10-2011, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

Hell, when we viewed our house, there was a 5-foot-tall Broncos helmet fathead on the wall of one of the bedrooms. If I can look past that, people should be able to look past blue carpet.

hahaha

**Fire Me Boy!** · 09-10-2011, 11:45 AM

It wouldn't make much of a difference to me, but I think your realtor is probably right. She's the expert in this, and it's such a buyer's market, potential buyers can hold out and get something that's exactly what they're looking for.

As for painting, someone else asked if people were too stupid to handle a roller. The answer, at least for me, is no. I can paint. However, the one thing in the WORLD that I hate almost as much as moving, is painting.

**Predarat** · 09-10-2011, 11:56 AM

I have never understood why they want you to replace things when the buyer could pick out and customize exactly what they want. It would suck to replace something and the buyer claim they want something else. With this being a buyers market you may get raked over the coals with something like that. Its a double edged sword though because you do want a good presentation.

**007** · 09-10-2011, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

It wouldn't make much of a difference to me, but I think your realtor is probably right. She's the expert in this, and it's such a buyer's market, potential buyers can hold out and get something that's exactly what they're looking for.

As for painting, someone else asked if people were too stupid to handle a roller. The answer, at least for me, is no. I can paint. However, the one thing in the WORLD that I hate almost as much as moving, is painting.

Painting is nothing. Try removing wallpaper. Now thats work.

**007** · 09-10-2011, 12:33 PM

God I wish my wife would have never even found that house she fell in love with. We weren't even looking. This is just causing me all kinds of stress.

Crappy thing is that we can't even put a bid down on that house unless somebody commits to ours. That house may be gone by then and we just wasted time and money. Sellers won't take contingency offers.

Dayze · 09-10-2011, 12:34 PM

our house was on the market for about a year; had average carpet etc; no bites by buyers. after 6 months, offered a carpet allowance. nada.

replaced the carpet, and the house solde in 30 days. Odd. never know what will turn off a buyer.

But yeah...if it were me buying a house, i wouldn't care what color it was; or what color walls were etc. easy fix to my taste etc

09-10-2011, 10:47 AM
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $12150126 VARSITY	House buying - What is your deal killer? We may be putting our house on the market and the Realtor gave us a short list of things we should do. Some I understand but at least one I don't. When you enter our house, the first thing you see is a hardwood floor hallway and a carpeted stairwell going upstairs. The Realtor wants us recarpet it because of the color. It is a slate blue. I've never had an issue with it and I've never had anyone who has come into our home comment on it. Would any of you allow the color of a stairwell carpet dissuade you from purchasing an entire house?
Posts: 65,736

09-10-2011, 11:08 AM	#16
Johnny Vegas MVP Join Date: May 2008 Casino cash: $3184814	how many houses are for sale on your street?
Posts: 5,098

09-10-2011, 11:09 AM	#17
Chief Pote Veteran Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Undercover..... Casino cash: $6872638	Your realtor is just trying to make the sale real easy. All neutral colors attract more buyers. Making a statement with pastels turns some off.
Posts: 3,647

09-10-2011, 11:15 AM	#19
jspchief BAMF Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Your Face Casino cash: $9998710	I'm thinking the realtor is afraid people will see blue and immediately think "dated" Maybe the difference between a faster sale. You have to remember how much of a buyer's market it is. People have the luxury of nit-picking. If it were me, I'd price a carpet change and weigh that against my desire for a speedy sale. Keep in mind that even cheap brand new carpet is going to look nice, so it's not like you need to go get the quality of stuff that you'd buy for yourself. __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.
Posts: 27,207

09-10-2011, 11:31 AM	#20
Bugeater The Maintenance Guy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Renovated Bugeater Estate Casino cash: $3992680	To me, a deal killer is something that can't easily be changed, i.e. small kitchen or bathrooms.
Posts: 70,546

09-10-2011, 11:38 AM	#21
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	I would listen to your realtor. It's the first thing you see and it's not attractive. First impressions will dictate how the entire house is viewed.
Posts: n/a

09-10-2011, 11:42 AM	#22
DaFace Kind of a mod Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Donkey Land Casino cash: $-1873101	Hell, when we viewed our house, there was a 5-foot-tall Broncos helmet fathead on the wall of one of the bedrooms. If I can look past that, people should be able to look past blue carpet.
Posts: 53,153

09-10-2011, 11:43 AM	#23
Ace Gunner First Overall Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: kcmo Casino cash: $10007271	Ya, I've got that slate blue in my basement and had a realtor comment as well even though the carpet is in great shape. I wouldn't play with it unless it's beat, which it seems yours isn't. __________________ The Greatest
Posts: 10,580

09-10-2011, 11:43 AM	#24
alnorth . Join Date: Dec 2002 Casino cash: $57156239	This is the sort of thing that does not lend itself to message board polls. I'd also say "no, I don't think I'd care", but I don't know that because it would be a subconscious response. A lot of people see 5 or 6 houses that, objectively speaking, they should like equally because all the details of condition, location, layout, etc are very similar, but they will zero in on one because of a vague feeling. Maybe the realtor is right, or maybe they don't know what they are talking about, but you'd almost need to conduct an experiment with houses that have blue carpet on stairs vs those that have white carpet on stairs to see if there's a noticeable difference in number of people willing to make an offer. __________________ how many emo kids does it take to change a lightbulb? HOW MANY?! none they just sit in the dark and cry
Posts: 36,130

09-10-2011, 11:45 AM	#26
Fire Me Boy! Cast Iron Jedi Join Date: Nov 2004 Casino cash: $9999900 VARSITY	It wouldn't make much of a difference to me, but I think your realtor is probably right. She's the expert in this, and it's such a buyer's market, potential buyers can hold out and get something that's exactly what they're looking for. As for painting, someone else asked if people were too stupid to handle a roller. The answer, at least for me, is no. I can paint. However, the one thing in the WORLD that I hate almost as much as moving, is painting.
Posts: 35,253

09-10-2011, 11:56 AM	#27
Predarat Run Chiefs fans, run!! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nashville, TN Casino cash: $9963863	I have never understood why they want you to replace things when the buyer could pick out and customize exactly what they want. It would suck to replace something and the buyer claim they want something else. With this being a buyers market you may get raked over the coals with something like that. Its a double edged sword though because you do want a good presentation.
Posts: 10,776

09-10-2011, 12:33 PM	#29
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $12150126 VARSITY	God I wish my wife would have never even found that house she fell in love with. We weren't even looking. This is just causing me all kinds of stress. Crappy thing is that we can't even put a bid down on that house unless somebody commits to ours. That house may be gone by then and we just wasted time and money. Sellers won't take contingency offers. __________________ My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done. Such as, drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.
Posts: 65,736

09-10-2011, 12:34 PM	#30
Dayze Resident Glue Sniffer Join Date: Nov 2003 Casino cash: $1749358	our house was on the market for about a year; had average carpet etc; no bites by buyers. after 6 months, offered a carpet allowance. nada. replaced the carpet, and the house solde in 30 days. Odd. never know what will turn off a buyer. But yeah...if it were me buying a house, i wouldn't care what color it was; or what color walls were etc. easy fix to my taste etc
Posts: 37,460