When you’re selling a home in Scottsdale, your real estate agent will walk through and talk to you about possible improvements you can make that will help you sell it faster (and for more money). Most houses could use a few cosmetic updates, and some need to be rejuvenated. Whatever camp your home falls into, whether it’s a condo, townhome or single-family home, check out these five features that can leave buyers feeling like your space is old.
5 Features That Make Your Home Look Old
These are the five features that can make your home look old (even if it’s not):
- Carpet
- Light oak-stained cabinets
- Gold fixtures
- Vertical blinds
- Wallpaper borders
Here’s a closer look at each – and what buyers would prefer instead.
Feature #1 That Makes Your Home Look Old: Carpet
No matter how you personally feel about carpet, it’s not something buyers are looking for. In fact, many modern homebuyers will avoid houses with carpet altogether – or they’ll ask for an allowance that enables them to use your money to pay for new flooring. Although you can skate by with carpet in the bedrooms, buyers often prefer hardwoods and tile instead; most people prefer to add their own rugs and floor coverings.
Feature #2 That Makes Your Home Look Old: Light Oak-Stained Cabinets
Known as “honey oak,” these gold-toned (and almost orange) stained cabinets are definitely relics of a bygone era. Today’s buyers often prefer the sleeker look of modern white cabinetry (or, in some cases, cabinets in other colors). You don’t have to rip out all your cabinets if they’re honey oak, though; you may be able to sand them down and refinish them in a different color, or even paint them, to appeal to a wide range of buyers.
Feature #3 That Makes Your Home Look Old: Gold Fixtures
Chunky gold and brass faucets, light fixtures and other hardware are straight out of the 1990s, and even if your home was built in that era, you should replace them with their more modern counterparts. Though you can pull off gold or brass in some spaces, provided that the rest of the area’s theme is a good, modern match, it’s best to head to your favorite home improvement store and pick up something with clean lines and a geometric shape.
Feature #4 That Makes Your Home Look Old: Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds certainly get the job done (when they’re not falling down and getting caught on things, that is), but gauzy curtains and other window treatments are preferable to today’s buyers. If you have vertical blinds on any of your windows, take them down. You don’t have to solve the mystery of the missing blinds on your own, though – many great home decor stores will send a window treatment expert to your home for a free consultation.
Feature #5 That Makes Your Home Look Old: Wallpaper Borders
Wallpaper borders are a thing of the past – even in kids’ rooms. At one time, they served as a replacement for crown molding or other trim, but today, they’re needless visual clutter. If you must have something along the joint of your walls and ceiling, it’s best to hire a professional to add crown molding; otherwise, leaving the area a blank slate is just fine with today’s buyers.
