What do Kansas City home buyers want? . . . Many Kansas City home buyers are bypassing the foreclosure and short sale properties for "move-in" ready Kansas City homes.

What do Kansas City home buyers want?  . . .  Many Kansas City home buyers are bypassing the foreclosure and short sale properties for "move-in" ready Kansas City homes.

More buyers are shunning distressed properties like foreclosure and short sale homes in favor of move-in ready homes that are mechanically and structurally problem free, according to real estate professionals and recent surveys.

For example, a Coldwell Banker survey recently found that 87 percent of first-time buyers say they desire a “move-in” ready home.

“This is absolutely the story of this market. It seems buyers will pay a premium, engage in a bidding war, and even overpay just to avoid buying a ‘project’ house,” says Beth Freed of Terrie O’Connor REALTORS® in Ridgewood, N.J.

As such, real estate pros are advising their sellers to fix up their homes for quicker sales. “There is no question homes that have been spruced up for the market sell quicker,” says Kate Conover with RE/MAX in Saddle River, N.J.

That doesn’t mean major, costly renovations that sellers won’t likely get back on the sale price either, she says. Instead of a major kitchen or bath renovation, just repainting the home or removing the clutter can go a long way in freshening up a home. Also, don’t forget about curb appeal: Freshen up the flowerpots, trim the bushes, and paint the front door, if it’s starting to show wear and tear.

Also with buyers wanting “move-in” ready homes, real estate pros say it’s crucial that sellers address any major maintenance and safety issues—such as leaky roofs—before the home even goes on the market.

We're finding that the buyers are being picky and if they see problems the home buyers want to be compensated big time. If the seller thinks the roof will cost $5,000, the buyer will figure $15,000. Replacing carpeting that a seller will cost $4,000, the buyer is figuring $12,000.

Banks are seeing this trend and many of them have taken their REO properties off the market or have delayed putting them on the market so they can do the necessary repairs.

Source: “Home Buyers Shun ‘Fixer-Uppers,” RISMedia (May 2, 2011)

Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/140814/20110503/home-buyers-bypass-fixer-upper-want-move-in-ready.htm#ixzz1LPGILoHp

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Blog post written by the Dowell Taggart Team of RE/MAX Premier Realty 

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