Top 10 Ways to Lose Money on a Property

By Catherine Brown

10.	Carpet in Bathrooms: Eeeewww! Talk about unhygienic! No one wants the job of removing old, mouldy carpeting from your bathroom.
9.	Themed Rooms: The Safari Adventure, Moroccan Dessert, or English Pub themes may appeal only to you.
8.	Gigantic Overstuffed Furniture: Don’t make it difficult for buyers to visualize how their furniture could fit in.
7.	Historical Features in a Non-historical Home: Victorian pedestal sinks and toilets, fake ceiling beams, and MDF or fibreglass ceiling medallions and mouldings in an ordinary suburban home just look wrong.
6.	Pine, Pine & More Pine: Overused because it’s cheap and readily available. Unpainted pine tends to take on an unattractive orange hue over time…and the “log cabin in the city” look has had its day.
5.	Laminate Flooring: Okay in small quantities. But, it does not look “just like wood” and is never interchangeable for quality hardwood flooring in a resale home.
4.	Bad D.I.Y. or Textured Faux Finishes: The proliferation of Do It Yourself shows make it look easy, but bad D.I.Y. is worse than no D.I.Y. Always hire a professional to complete all unfinished projects.
3.	Bad Extensions, Porches & Additions: Anything with a green plastic corrugated roof or rusty metal should be removed before listing. Buyers don’t want to pay for something they have to tear down.
2.	Smoking: Aromas are the first thing buyers notice as they enter a house. It creates part of the all-important first impression. Smoking could be a deal-breaker for as many as 50% of buyers.
1.	Obvious Structural Problems: Large cracks, moisture, or standing water in the basement – these red flags will make buyers run. Address these issues before your home goes on the market.

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Catherine E. Brown is an Accredited Staging Professional and owner of Staged to Move. Catherine is committed to helping clients sell their home for the best price in the least amount of time. She can be contacted at (519) 868-7171 or by email at catherine@stagedtomove.ca. Visit her Web site at www.stagedtomove.ca.

Published in Networking Today, April 2007