6 Must-haves to sell your home to young buyers in 2018
The millennial generation is all grown up and their bank accounts are getting healthier, so you should consider remodeling your real estate property and adapting it to their needs. One-third of the buyer market is millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000), so if you are interested in selling your house, there is a great possibility your buyer will be young, successful member of this generation.
They usually don’t like buying houses, but when they do, they want turnkey one that needs little or no work. Because of that, you will need to invest some resources into remodeling in order to meet the needs of the current market. Below are some useful tips which will give you some ideas once you start redecorating.
Upgrading bathroom and kitchen
Everybody wants to see an up-to-date kitchen and bathroom once they come for a viewing. Before you start investing money in new elements, take a break and think who will buy the house, and will that investment increase the price. Millennials just started working and earning money. Because of that, your potential buyer will probably have a tight budget, and their first priority won’t be updated bath and kitchen. If your buyer can’t afford updates, neither can you. Don’t worry about that, and work on the minor fixes, such as knobs and handles replacement.
Kitchen should be spacious
Just 10 years ago, your potential buyer would prefer separated kitchen and formal dining room. These days, kitchens are an inseparable part of the living space. Because of that, give your best to adapt your house to meet this trend. Millennials like to cook their own food, and they will be gathering in the kitchen very often. It would be great if you can achieve open floor plan since this feature is very popular among young buyers. They prefer the space which is not separated with plenty of walls so the guests can easily flow through the house during parties.
Set up the home office
More and more people are working from home and making a home office could be the right move. You really can’t miss here since this trend is going to continue in the future, and buyers would like to see this option once they come in for inspection. Young buyers like remote job positions and you may think: „Why would they need an office if they can move their laptop anywhere they like?“. You are partly right, but even remote workers need private space where they can focus and concentrate. So, if there’s an extra bedroom in our house, feel free to transfer it into simple home office.
Invest in exterior
Outside of the house is the first thing your potential buyer will see. Because of that, go ahead and trim some bushes, paint the porch and front door, and plant some colorful flowers. Don’t forget to set up a relaxing zone in the back of the house. Work on adapting the deck for a young family. Millennials like to relax outside and they will know to appreciate your effort.
Your backyard should be accessible through the whole year, so feel free to invest in affordable OZTech retractable roof awnings & pergolas, so new owners can be protected from heavy rain and summer sun. These exterior updates won’t cost you much but will add a lot of value and young buyers will love it.
Low maintenance
An average millennial wouldn’t like to buy a house that is high maintenance, and there is a reason for that. Most millennials watched their parents work around the house every weekend, and they will do anything to avoid this kind of life. This generation wants weekends for themselves instead of climbing on the roof to clean the gutter. Because of that, go ahead and change some features so you can meet the needs of a young buyer.
It is a good move to install wood floors since they are easy to maintain. Avoid rugs and carpets because new owners wouldn’t like them. If your budget allows you, you should consider replacing countertops with granite. Keep in mind that millennials prefer to replace an item rather than repair it. This generation is building a society which is more „disposable“ so don’t spend a lot of money on kitchen and bathroom appliances.
Technology
Prepare yourself for plenty of technology related questions. Your young buyer prefers having a stable internet connection and strong cell phone signal rather than cable hookup or landline phone. They just don’t care about it since almost all communication is done online, and TV is a part of the past. Because of that, give your best to provide good internet and cell connection, and your potential buyers will give you a big plus.
Final thoughts
As you can see, buyer market has changed a lot in the past few years and will continue to evolve. Young buyers in the future will be much more environmentally conscious, and in order to sell the house, you will need to make it energy efficient. Since the new generation is technology oriented, make sure to advertise your property online in order to get a better chance of selling.
There are plenty of moves you can make if you decide to sell the house to young people and those mentioned above are some of the crucial ones. Go ahead and start adapting your house for the new wave of buyers.