Surely, you were often surprised that some apartments are sold a week after the owners put them on the classifieds site, while others can hang there for several years without arousing any interest. There are several reasons for this, which are described in detail in the Novate.ru article.
Reason 1: Inconsistent redevelopment
Any redevelopment, whether it be taking out the central heating battery to the balcony or erecting a plasterboard partition in the middle of the living room, must be legalized or approved by the relevant services. If this is not done, the liquidity of housing will be significantly reduced. The bank will not be able to issue a loan to people who want to buy an apartment on a mortgage, and those who have already accumulated the required amount will have to make repairs on their own to correct the current situation, or agree on redevelopment.
There are two options for solving the problem. If you have already changed everything you wanted in your apartment, but this redevelopment complies with the norms of the law, be sure to issue it with the appropriate authorities so that it is reflected in the technical passport of the apartment. Do not be surprised if you are fined for not being approved earlier. Its amount varies between 2,000 and 2,500 rubles. But the apartment, the redevelopment of which was carried out illegally, will need to be returned to its original form.
Reason 2: Unsatisfactory condition of housing
Of course, any apartment can be put up for sale, even if there is no furniture and equipment, or the renovation is a “grandmother's” option. However, this will significantly slow down the process of finding buyers, and the price that the realtor advises to set will be much lower than the desired amount.
Please note that they are much more willing to buy those apartments, which you can immediately call in and live in. It is clear that in the future the new owners will want to make other repairs or update the furniture, but this will happen later, and now they have the opportunity to invest only in the purchase of real estate. Therefore, before putting up housing for sale, try to carry out at least minimal cosmetic repairs and furnish the rooms with budgetary, but fresh furniture.
On a note: Here's what you can do with your own hands without resorting to the help of a repair team: re-glue the wallpaper or paint the walls, refresh the ceiling, tidy up the batteries, paint the tiles in the bathroom, if the condition leaves much to be desired.
Reason 3: Outdated or specific repair
It is not in vain that designers say that repairs in an apartment should be made as neutral as possible, using those trends that will not lose their relevance for a long time. But personalized character needs to be added with details that can be replaced at any time. We are talking about textiles, lamps, posters, dishes, etc. We tell you why this is important. Unusual interior solutions, for example, massive furniture in a classic style, curly plasterboard arches, bright yellow walls, 3D ceiling, may not please everyone. If the buyer is forced to make large-scale renovations due to the presence of a specific finish, he is unlikely to agree to the amount indicated in the ad.
To understand what can repel a potential buyer in an apartment, invite friends or colleagues to visit and ask them to evaluate the renovation from the side. Let them voice what details and interior items confuse them. If possible, bring the house into a neutral state before putting it up for sale: replace the variegated wallpaper with light monochromatic ones, and the overall furniture for simpler ones.
Reason 4: Poor lighting
Unlike uncoordinated redevelopment, poor lighting is not so critical at all, but it still worsens the overall impression of the apartment. Not everyone wants to mess around with new wiring, installing additional switches and, accordingly, replacing the fine finish.
If you do not plan to make repairs before selling your apartment, try to improve the lighting with affordable means. You should start with … windows. Yes, yes, the perception of housing largely depends on natural light. Remove heavy curtains with lambrequins that collect dust and make the room dark, gloomy, and replace them with light, translucent curtains. Replace dim bulbs with brighter ones, and illuminate the corners with office lamps or floor lamps. It is very important to have several lighting scenarios so that each zone in the room is independent and does not depend on the common chandelier on the ceiling.
Reason 5: Elements of the "grandmother's" interior
If in the Scandinavian countries they treat vintage things very reverently and pass on furniture from generation to generation, carefully monitoring its condition, then in our country such interior items cause rather skepticism and a desire to quickly replace them with modern ones. Therefore, we advise you to carefully examine your apartment for the presence of an old carpet on the wall, a squeezed armchair, a sideboard with a service inside. All these things loudly declare that the apartment has not been repaired for a very long time, which means that after the purchase, other problems may be revealed: with wiring, plumbing, heating radiators, sewage and other issues that no one has been doing for many years.
The best option is to get rid of broken, creaky and outdated things or restore them if they can fit into the interior. Also try to emphasize cozy details, such as indoor flowers, a knitted blanket on the bed, a bright carpet, etc.
Reason 6: A lot of furniture
An empty apartment is bad, but an overloaded apartment is also not very good. Of course, tenants can appreciate the furniture left as a gift, but only if they agree to buy an apartment. When there are too many interior items, the room seems cramped, cluttered, and its real area visually decreases several times.
Therefore, leave only the necessary furniture and a minimum amount of decor so that the room has room for maneuvers and it seems as spacious as possible. Square meters are valued much more than furnishings during the sale process, so you need to clearly demonstrate them.
Reason 7: Disadvantages that are hard to get rid of
Mold in the bathroom, cockroaches in the kitchen, bedbugs in furniture - such problems are not as easy to fix as, for example, to re-glue the wallpaper. Not to mention, it's frustrating. It is quite possible that potential buyers will begin to knock down the price or even abandon the apartment, being afraid of a cockroach that ran past them while watching.
Do not let things go by themselves. If insects are in the apartment, invite pest controllers and throw away all damaged furniture, and if mold appears, find the cause and eliminate it. It is better to solve such problems before the property appears on the classifieds site, so as not to miss out on buyers later.
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