Buyer vs Renter:
What a buyer wants: Most buyers in this market want a house that is move-in ready; already clean and updated with solid surface counter tops (ie granite), new neutral carpet and paint colors, and a charm factor. Whether it is a martini lamp above the built in wet bar, a unique towel rack in the master bedroom, or a window seat in the guest bedroom, they want something that they can ‘discover’ and immediately look forward to using. Most buyers are more concerned with this charm factor than they are about the age and condition of the roof, the a/c unit, the hot water heater, or the plumbing. Why? They are hard to discover and are taken for granted until there is a problem. This does not mean that you should take advantage of this generality; it is in your best interest to repair or replace anything that is not working properly while you have a crew on-site, because if a buyer balks at the property due to a home inspector’s report, you will lose credibility.
Renters want a maintenance-free affordable place to live. It helps if there is a small garden area, or a yard for the kids or pets, or an attribute such as being within walking distance to work or school. They generally do not mind if the counters are granite vs tile, or if the floors are original heart pine vs new engineered hardwood. Renters, for the most part, want a safe and clean place to live while they concentrate on other things (traveling for work, finding a home to buy in the next 6 – 12 months, repairing credit etc.).
