In a climate where foreclosures are a big presence on the real estate markers, traditional home sellers can face stiff competition.
"Sellers are frustrated," said Greg Kosareff of Realty World Strachan Gamber in Fresno, Calif.
But there are things homeowners can do — especially since, real estate agents point out, many buyers aren’t interested in bank-owned properties, which can be in poor condition.
Cut clutter and clean
Most houses have too much furniture, so she recommends moving much of it out. Family portraits on the wall are lovely, except when trying to sell the house.
"You don’t want the rooms to look crowded," said Joan Jolly, of Coldwell Banker Premiere Real Estate in Fresno. "Move the family pictures and wedding pictures. Move them out so the eye won’t be drawn to them. Go visit a couple model homes, and you’ll get an idea how sparsely decorated it should be."
Curb appeal
Nancy Riggs, a real estate broker in Visalia, Calif., said a manicured front yard is an enticement.
"Street appeal is extremely important," she said. "The front door and trim should be painted. You want a garden with flowers. You want it very inviting from the front."
Staging
Riggs said homeowners should consider hiring a professional "stager" to make the interior presentable. A stager will bring in or take out furniture and accessories to make the property more attractive.
A clean and attractive house will often net a higher price. "Someone will walk into the home that has been staged and fall in love with it," Riggs said.
Professional stager Pam Milam of Reinvented Rooms in Fresno said prospective buyers will often linger longer in a house that is specially prepared.
"Make it appeal to those not willing to buy a fixer-upper," she said. "You want to justify the price difference because your house is ideally turn-key."
But Milam said that homeowners must weigh the cost of paying for the staging, which can range from a $300 consultation to a couple of thousand dollars, against the potential reward. It’s tough for some sellers to part with the extra money when houses are declining in value.
"They should consider staging in whatever form makes financial sense," Milam said. "It takes every trick in the book in the book right now to get a house to sell."
Remodel
There is also remodeling — upgrading all-important kitchens and bathrooms and repairing anything that would turn off a prospective buyer.
But this can be costly. The owners of a Fresno home Kosareff represents spent about $12,000 getting it ready for scrutiny.
