Ask the REALTOR: When a client buys a new or used home, what do they want to change first?

Ask the REALTOR® is a regular video series in which I answer your most commonly-asked real estate questions, with a new Q&A posting every week. If YOU have a real estate question for me, drop me a note here.

This week’s question: When a client buys a new or used home, what do they want to change first? Here’s the answer in this brief video, and don’t miss the transcript below.

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Transcript:

Hi, this is Cari McGee from Keller Williams Realty. Welcome to this week’s episode of “Ask the Realtor.”

Every week, I answer questions from buyers, and sellers, and pretty much everyone in between, regarding real estate. This week’s question comes to us from Franchino’s Stone and they ask, “When a client buys a new or used home, what do they want to change first, if anything? Do you make recommendations on what they should change out?”

[This] is a great question, but surprisingly, there’s not a lot of uniformity in the sense of everyone always wants to do X, or 90% of my clients want to do Y. It’s very individual. Some people wanna come in and paint all over, or change out the flooring, or change countertops, but it’s not very common. Most people are happy with the house that they’re buying as is.

However, I would recommend the following: If you have an idea about changing something out — adding new carpet, or changing out a design of the kitchen, or your master bedroom or something — go ahead and do it right when you move in. Because I cannot tell you the number of times I’m called out, five years, seven years after somebody has moved in to a house, and they’re like, “Okay, we’re ready to sell.” And I take a look around and I say, “Weren’t you going to do this?” or, “Weren’t you going to add an island?” or, “Weren’t you going to…?” And they’re always like, “Yeah, we never got around to it.” Go ahead and do it, you guys. Do it right when you move in so that you don’t have to figure out how it’s gonna work and everything. Go ahead, follow through with your plans for changing the house, and that way you can actually capitalize on your great idea.

I hope that answers your question, Franchino’s Stone. Thanks for watching the episodes and asking questions.

If you have any questions for us regarding real estate, by all means, give us a shout via any one of the methods on the following screen. Thanks so much. Bye-bye.