With Terry Story, 25-year Veteran Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker in Boca Raton, FL
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In her Real Estate Survival Guide, Terry talks about the Top 10 Features that buyers look for when they’re out shopping for new homes. The National Association of Home Builders has compiled this list. Old favorites – like a two-story foyer, a whirlpool/jacuzzi in the master bathroom, wall to wall carpets and an outdoor kitchen – are beginning to lose favor as mindsets change to favor energy efficiency, water conservation, the use of technology and functionality over form – with cool features such as energy-efficient low-e windows, star-rated appliances, programmable thermostats and more.
Here’s another one. Often times, a low home appraisal dissatisfies sellers but they don’t have to just bite the bullet. Instead, Terry talks about ways in which sellers can genuinely convince appraisers that their home is worth a lot more, things like showing them paperwork on recent home improvements or using the Internet to find good comparables (‘comps’) on recent sales that truly reflect the value of your home. Remember, appraisers may often try and take the easy way out, so it behooves sellers to do their own legwork and make the case for a higher appraised price.
