Many foreclosure sales are happening right now, especially since the housing market has not really recovered yet from its fall since 2007. That means, many properties on sale right now are vying for the eyes of a limited market since people are still holding back from purchasing homes with this economic uncertainty hanging over their heads. Unemployment is still high and that does not bode well for owners who would want to sell their homes which are not distressed, therefore, are priced more or less close to their true market value.

Make homes attractive

For buyers looking for bargains, the first thing they would probably look for are the foreclosure sales since more often than not, these properties are selling for 10 percent even up to 60 percent less than their market value. Lenders or government agencies want to dispose of these properties quickly, so they get back the money from the defaulted mortgage of the original homeowners. That said, these discounts make the properties more attractive.

So, how can a for-sale-by-owner home divert buyers’ attention to it? By staging homes carefully and tastefully. The first thing that selling homeowners must do is to put themselves in the shoes of the buyers. What do they want to see if they are out shopping for a home? Value for money? A beautiful lawn? Airy rooms?

Staging the house

Just like in the show, Flip This House, homes are being staged so that real estate agents and direct buyers can see the potential of the property. The number one rule that the seller must remember is to declutter the entire home since a messy place gives the impression that the house is not well taken care of. This brings down the value of the house in the eyes of the buyer. In a sense, the buyer may think that he would be better off buying foreclosure sales.

Remove personal items like photos, which give the impression that the owners are not ready to move out, therefore, they must be unwilling to sell. Personal items also make it hard for the buyers to visualize living in the space. If the house is impersonal, like it can take any personality depending on the next owner, the better it would be. A lick of paint would not hurt, too.