When selling your home, one of your top priorities is to showcase your home as well as possible, highlighting its best features and fixing any minor issues that may detract from the overall package. A lot of effort goes into this, from staging your home to getting great listing photos, to holding open houses where interested buyers can look things over for themselves. There is one aspect of your home that may be overlooked during this process.
There’s a famous saying in the real estate business: “Location, location, location”. It simply means that the location of your home is every bit as important to potential buyers as the features of the property itself. If you want a buyer to truly fall in love with your home, you’ll need to highlight the best aspects of your location, too! Once you’ve made a list of all your home’s great features like a spacious kitchen, newly renovated bathrooms or an expansive outdoor space, take the time to carefully consider what it’s like living in your neighborhood. Buyers will want to know what it might be like living in your home, and no one is more qualified to help inform them- than you.
When describing the location of your home, it’s good to start nearby and expand in distance:
- Think about your property itself. Is it located in the middle of a residential area, or does it border a commercial district? Do you have scenic views? How close are your neighbor’s homes? Are you located on a corner lot- and is that a good thing? While you might be able to change some aspects of your home, such as adding landscaping or putting up a fence, there are factors that begin at the edge of your property line that you can’t necessarily change.
- Talk about the street your home is located on. Is it a quiet, low-traffic area with tree cover, streetlights, and roomy sidewalks? Buyers are looking for a peaceful oasis to call home. Even if you’re located on or near a busy street, take note of when these roadways are the busiest. Some buyers may be able to avoid busy hours when working from home or on an offset work schedule.
- Carefully think about your neighborhood. Start with your neighbors- how long have they lived in the area, and how well you’ve gotten along with them. Buyers will want to know they’re moving into a friendly area. Take note if neighbors have kids- some potential buyers may be happy to know that the neighborhood has social opportunities for their own children.
- Highlight local amenities such as parks, bike trails, or even ponds and lakes. If you live inside of a community, make a list of all included amenities.
- Is your area being developed? New businesses can be a sign that an area will continue to prosper into the future.
- Many buyers will be especially interested in the local schools and school board that serves your area. Good schools can be a major justification for some buyers to purchase your home.
- How close are you to major commuting routes? If you live in the suburbs, some buyers may want to be nearby a major highway. Others may want to be located further away. Give your buyers average driving times to nearby landmarks, at different times of day. This can be valuable information.
- What shopping centers, stores, and restaurants are nearby? A full complement of retail destinations can persuade some buyers.
- Is there any public transportation available in your area?
- Are there any daycare centers? What about other recreational areas such as gyms or sporting centers like courts or tracks?
When buyers are deciding between multiple properties that meet their needs, these location-based qualities of your home may be the deciding factor. Presenting your home well isn’t always easy, but you’ll be the most successful in attracting buyers when you can present the total picture of what living there might be like. Buyers will want to know as much as they can before pulling the trigger and placing an offer. Help them make the right decision by helping them better understand your neighborhood, local amenities, and other key factors that make your home’s location a great place to live!
