As a seller of your Alameda or Alameda Bay Farm Island home, you may be surprised how valuable your neighbors can be when it comes to putting your home on the market. They can be a huge asset, or a big liability, depending on your approach.
Most homeowners who are preparing to sell, are given suggestions and ideas about how to make their home attractive and appealing to potential buyers. But all the planting of fresh plants, and application of new paint or drapes may be a waste of time if the house next door has piles of trash, or there is a car on blocks right outside your rear window.Â
While it's possible that you have gotten used to this, or decided that it was not worth alienating the neighbors by asking them to clean up THEIR home, the situation now has a serious impact on whether or not you can get full value for your home. This is especially relevant if other homes similar to yours in the area do not have these issues for buyers to deal with.Â
As your Alameda real estate agent, I can give you some direction. Here are some basic tips:
a. Your first step is to talk with your neighbors. Ideally, if you have been living next door to each other for a while, you have developed at least a working relationship with them. In a perfect world, you have a pleasant relationship. Advise them of your plans to sell your home, and try to enlist their cooperation in the most engaging manner possible.Â
b. Don't ask for major renovations. Don't ask for painting, fencing, new bushes, plants, etc.. Start small with a request for a simple cleaning, organizing, or hauling activity, and then volunteer to help them get it done!
c. If you are met with rejection, or the issues have health or safety implications, you could consider calling for assistance from various communty agencies to assist you with your requests.Â
d. If your neighbor is a renter, you may be able to work directly with the property owner to get the property more presentable.Â
e. Save the best for last when you engage your neighbor. Point out that if your neighbors, as homeowners, fix up their home (even in the simplest way), it will increase the value of their home. However, the best part is that in the immediate future, many potential homebuyers will be coming into the neighborhood to view your home. If your neighbor had any interest in selling their home, this would be the ideal time to create the best possible appeal for potential buyers who will be coming into the area.
As you can see, working positively with your immediate neighborhood will, ultimately, benefit everyone.
Â
Â
Posted by Bruce Wagg on
Leave A Comment