Things Ottawa Buyers Will Notice #17 – Children

Posted on August 15, 2008 
Filed Under Listing and Selling Your Home, Things Buyers May Notice, Valerie Zinger

As I go out with Buyers looking at houses and host Open Houses on Sundays, there are things buyers seem to repeatedly notice.  This series looks at the good and the not-so-good things that buyers have noticed.

Children

Not that children are lined up to be viewed but that all the paraphernalia that is synonymous with children is open for viewing. 

Recently my Buyers and I were looking at a home that was immaculate in every nook and cranny.  Based on the two children’s bedrooms, it was apparent that there was a pre-schooler and a baby living in the house.  Both rooms were wonderfully decorated – not too many items, not too many toys strewn about and no smelly baby things.  What was more wondrous was the family room.  There were no toys in sight.  Just when we thought the people did not have fun, we found the toys stacked neatly in the cupboard under the stairs.  The house had been cleaned and staged for an Open House.  Still!!!

There were baby proof items such as the spinning door knob covers and the kitchen cupboard door latches in the house.  All other items related to children (such as that ever present net with $500 of bath toys hung over the tub) were boxed and put away.  It was amazing.

My Buyers were not planning to have children.  In other houses we had seen, the toys and heaps of children’s laundry were ever present.  Not in this place.  It was immediately possible for the Buyers to see themselves living in the home and to see that, with only painting the two children’s rooms, this house could become their haven.   

We made an offer to buy the home.

Photo credit:  Rubber Duckie @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/webel/306290032/

Valerie Zinger ~ Ottawa, Canada ~ Ph. 613-723-5300 ~ Email vzinger@royallepage.ca

 

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