If the home was remodeled I would look to be sure quality material was used, and installed correctly. Look for obvious signs of a flipper and half-assed workmanship. Look for signs of water damage, either current or previous that was not repaired properly. Condition of the roof and foundation. None of these would be deal breakers if the house is priced accordingly. I guess I would be leery of too much lipstick hiding the pig that the home is. A realtor that purports to know what they are speaking on and then proceeds to try and blow smoke up my ass.

But I have been in construction supply for 40 years so I know a bit more than the average homeowner............................

Location. And then location. And location after that. Obviously not something you can change about a house you want to sell.

Other things are neighbors/neighborhood, traffic, the home’s smell/cleanliness, and the condition of the roof, HVAC, kitchen, and bathrooms.

@kandrewspa, yes, I understand. I was an agent back in the '80's. I am interested in knowing what other experienced homebuyers - other than myself - look at (not for) after living in other houses.

For instance, I will look at how easy the landscape is to maintain.

Layout, privacy, pleasant outdoor space, not too much work to maintain.

We just bought a new house (still trying to sell the old one!). We prioritized: location, size/layout, private yard. We may be a bit different from most buyers these days -- we were looking for a house that is in good structural condition but needs updates, so that we could add value to it. In our area, most buyers seem to prefer turnkey houses.

We downsized so were in no rush to buy. It was important that it met our needs first and foremost. Took over a year, but within minutes I told the agent I was buying it (my husband was away). There were compromises, but the positives outweighed the con’s.

Its smaller size and good flow inside and out, not a lot to update/its condition, open concept, good neighbourhood/close to family, walkability, the property/privacy. The cons were the number of bathrooms and smaller bedrooms. Previous homes with our 3 children were being fairly close to work and a good school within walking distance, near our families, finished basement, and large bedrooms. The condition wasn’t as important as we were willing and able to improve.

we looked first for school quality, location and lot size - also wanted a historic neighborhood with mature trees - we bought a ugly duckling home that had been neglected (poor girl!) — I definitely did not want to pay for someone else’s “Instagram upgrades” which would not be what I would want anyway.

agree with walkability - we can walk to a gourmet grocer, library, bike trails etc as well as all our kids’ schools

We loved older houses. We bought a 100yo Queen Anne. We wanted move-in ready. The house had updated electrics (all the old knob and tube replaced) and a new, efficient furnace. There were a lot of rooms with strong colors. A green polka-dotted bathroom we think is fun, our hall is cream and yellow stripes above the railing, green below. It was only the tween dream room with two shades of purple stripes and a fuchsia border that we painted. The yard was important to me, privacy and not-too-big to mow was to my husband.

We saw a lot of houses that had problematic elements --- obviously inadequate heat or insulation, a pool (in Maine! right next to the ocean, why?), a little too small. My husband dislike big yards with a lot to mow.

We looked at some McMansions with just odd spaces. A gallery which was too wide to be a hall, too narrow to be a room. Two living rooms, both with a Christmas tree (this was in January).

We didn't like cheap finishes, which probably looked luxurious, but didn't look like they'd last. The dark wood kitchen floor where under the counter stools the floor was lighter, suggesting a worn-out stain.

For my husband and I, we are downsizing so location important with walkable neighborhoods, reasonably close to healthcare. Also, a main floor bedroom with main floor full bath to be used when stairs are no longer feasible. Main floor laundry would be nice. A backyard that is big enough to add a 3 season room and patio as well as a 2.5 car garage or space to build one. Finishes do not have to be current as we prefer to put our own "stamp" on things.

Walkable neighborhood with a strong sense of community. Nearby open space, parks, nature preserves, etc. Nearby services. Good public transit. IOW, location, location, location.

A livable layout -- no giant "open concept" rooms where the TV is blasting and the dirty dishes are visible from the front door. Square footage is allocated to the living areas rather than the bedrooms/bathrooms. Small garden space. Easy access to the outdoor space. Vintage features are intact. Garage or covered parking. Roof, HVAC, electrical and plumbing in good shape. Cosmetic things (walls, floors, hardware, etc.) can be easily changed so not a priority. IOW, a house that has been well-cared for and hasn't been ruined with poorly thought out additions or remodels.

That describes the house I currently own and I will be sad when it's time to leave.

Like many regulars here, a functional kitchen is very important to me. When we were house hunting 4 years ago, we insisted on either a decent kitchen, or a price low enough that we could rip out the kitchen soon.

I would much rather buy a house that needed work than one that was newly remodeled in a style that I didn't like, especially if it was the kitchen.

I recognize I may have a higher tolerance for remodel stress than others.

I looked for a decently sized main bedroom (at least 175 sq ft), minimal excess mouldings (an aesthetic I don't like), and a useful kitchen - more drawers than cupboards, a pantry, either an induction cooktop or an electric range, and no customized weird-sized spaces or panelled appliances, so I can change them out if I want or need to.

Over time our priorities have been location, functional floorplan, LOTS of storage and do the neighbors maintain their property? We are currently on our 4th home and we've learned as we've moved each time.

The where comes first - location is key. For the house itself, we made a list of "non-negotiables" along with a list of "wants". Even among the houses that had everything that was on the list of non-negotiables, some houses just weren't "it". Can't really say why other than I didn't particular like them or they gave off a vibe or something. When I initially toured the current house I'm in, I knew almost instantly I'd be living here, it was "my house" from the get-go. Again -- can't tell you why. I just knew.

Everyone's non-negotiable list is going to differ; mine were:

• one-story with a basement
• attached garage
• mudroom; no direct entry from attached garage into living space
• 1 acre minimum lot size

First house I prioritized location above all else; I needed to be able to walk to the train to commute to work, walk to shopping, coffee shop, etc. second house I prioritized location above all else; I wanted to be nowhere near an area like the first.

Who is your target buyer? Most here are selling to downsize/make life easier to live. What we are looking for is most likely what your buyer is looking for. We are looking for a State that is fiscally sound. MN is a DISASTER area!! Beyond that it will be near our grands, a place we can age in. Not the sort of thing a seller has any control over. Every home is what it is. You have control over it's maintenance, cleanliness. The idea that one buys a home because it has the cupboards I want is ludicrous. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION Bottom line your home will sell if priced properly.

Location, good floor plan, overall well-maintained and clean. Visible signs of neglect often indicate much worse problems will turn up during inspection.

We just sold and bought in the last month . We sold a large home with a large lot and a pool. We bought a much smaller home nice sized lot and no pool. We are in our late 70s and still very active but decided we wanted less house work and more time to do other stuff. The kitchen is my domain and the house we sold for the kitchen and the house we bought the kitchen is awesome . Location has never been a huge issue for me as far as neighborhood . I do like to live where others care for their homes but not really much else . I think the first step is to speak to realtor about your area and what sells .

Thank you, all. I see some common thoughts in your responses. This house has a lot going for it.

I am glad to see that some folks would consider some upgrades because there may be some smaller "projects" that we won't accomplished by the time we are ready to put the house on the market, e.g. old wallpaper in the finished lower [split] level.

I find it interesting that no one mentioned wanting a smart home or smart appliances, etc., since I think the Internet of Things never really caught on.

Most second or third time home owners are capable of seeing past the orange shag carpet, the depressing gray on gray on gray living room, and the vomiting lion faucet in the bathroom. In fact, it seems that most people here would prefer that to a house that had been recently cosmetically 'upgraded' to something they wouldn't choose.

" no one mentioned wanting a smart home or smart appliances, etc., "

I think there are a lot of people who want them, but a lot of the the smart functions can be add-ons, and smart appliances can be swapped in for older appliances after the purchase. Apparently about 18% of homes have a video doorbell that can be accessed remotely, and about 50% of homes have some kind of smart device in the house (security cam, thermostat, oven, lighting etc).

I knew Patricia was old, but 870? Never met a typo she didn't love.

Everyone who answered location is exactly right, but obviously it doesn't answer your question since you can't change it. In terms of the house and grounds, the thing you can't really fix is the bones of the house, I.e. how well it is built. So that would be prime. After that, I would prioritize the kitchen, since that's where you spend most of your time. You can upgrade, of course, but kitchen remodels aren't cheap. The other thing important to me is orientation, i.e. which way do the most important rooms face? Unfortunately, you can't change that either.

The bottom line is that when you go to sell you don't really have a lot of control over what is important to prospective buyers. Just declutter and brighten and hope for the best.

LOL really need to proof read all the time. I am not sure what it has to do with the question but thanks Rapp

For me it is house general condition and construction, and then the size. If it isnt big enough, I would move on. Location is also important, although to me, schools are not a priority anymore, the neighborhood is. I expect to have to paint every room, and probably some wallpaper, and carpet, etc. I would also want the roofing to be fairly new, and the exterior is nice condition. A smart home isnt important, and if it had stainless appliances, I would probably ask for their removal.

I'm acquiring smart appliances, mostly because many come with those features, not because I sought them out. What I love --- the smart sprinkler system. We have one smart light, because turning it on and off manually was a pain. The smart lightbulb solved the problem.

I rarely use the smart functions on my dishwasher (which is admittedly quite new), our Alexa, or my humidifier. I love the smart garage door, because it is easier than always having a remote and it helped when we really needed more than two or three remotes. Plus, I can check to see if I forgot to lock the garage door without going to look.

I tend to be skeptical of smart appliances, because I suspect the smartness will become dysfunctional long before the core function does. My parents bought faucets in the 80s with solar cells and an LED display that told the heat of the water. That function lasted probably under 5 years. The faucets were still functioning as faucets 25 years later.

We sold a relative's house after his death, not long after a big housing slump, so there were still a decent number of reposessions on the market. This was not a high-end house nor was it in a high-end neighborhood. What we noticed was that many potential buyers could just make the mortgage. They had little money to put in improvements. Painting --- something DIYers can do in a weekend --- was possible, replacing the kitchen, not so much. So, some of it depends on the market.

When I sold my last home I hired a home inspector to come to my home and do a physical home inspection. Didn't want the written inspection report, but wanted him to verbally tell me everything he would note if he were doing a full report.

He noticed some things that I knew needed repair, some things I hadn't noticed and some things that were code changes since I had bought my home.

My goal was to have anything that could be a show stopper fixed before putting it on the market.

I went through the whole home and cleaned and touched up paint or spray painted outdoor fixtures that had faded. Cleaned the hot water heater and furnace, wiped down the pipes under the sinks . . . I wanted everything to look clean and well maintained.

I went to the open houses of the homes in my area that went up for sale. I watched what they were listed for, what they sold for and how long they sat on the market.

I thought about what made me want to buy my home and why everyone wanted to buy in my neighborhood. I fell in love with the large lot (hard to find in CA) and loved being on a small cul-de-sac. Everyone with kids wanted to be in our school district. All three (Elem, Jr H and HS) were ranked 9 out of 10 for the state of CA. My house was smack dab in the middle of all three schools with all three less than 1 mile from my home.

I had to compete with a new development - brand new homes, light neutral/white interiors, postage stamp lots, further from the schools with a busy road between them and the schools.

I marketed my home based on what parents would be looking for. I had the locations/school district and a yard that was easily triple the size of the new home builds. Instead of repainting everything white/light neutrals I left my bold colors and described the home as having a kid friendly, designer color palette.

My house sold at the asking price in 3 days when the average days on market was over 30 days. The only thing I was asked to fix before close of escrow were the leaves that had fallen on the porch roof.

Wait, Patricia -- you MOVED? You have to show pics of your new kitchen!

"I find it interesting that no one mentioned wanting a smart home or smart appliances, etc., since I think the Internet of Things never really caught on."

Low on the list of what potential homeowners are looking for. As already mentioned, most are add-ons. FWIW I want nothing to do with that stuff. My appliances, mechanical systems, and locks are not smart -- I don't want to be connected to the IoT. In any way, shape, or form. My Wolf range can be connected, but I haven't enabled that feature.

My younger nieces and nephews love their smart everything . . .

I have a smart range, the only problem is that I lock the controls so that I don't accidently bump the digital oven controls while cooking. I tried to warm up the oven from my office using my app and it told me I had to unlock the controls first - which means going to the kitchen and unlocking the controls - then I can go back to my office and start the oven - or I could just start it while I am in the kitchen unlocking the controls!

Some of my appliances have smart functions, but - like the internet connection on my smart TV - I've purposely not connected them. The one connected item I do like is my smart front door lock: It allows me to give separate door codes to different individuals, and track when those codes are used to enter or exit my home. If I'm going to have the risks of an internet connection, I make sure I get something worthwhile (to me) out of it.

I look for a house with good "bones". Cosmetic changes are things I prefer to do myself. The home I'm in now had seafoam shag carpet and shiny metallic floral wallpaper in 90's blue and pink. I made the changes to my taste and love my house. I personally look for light and a house that has been well-maintained. Outdoor spaces are important to me.

Location was number 1 on our list. The school system had to be very good or we didn't even bother looking in a town. An older historic home. The bones had to be updated and had to have character. Minimum 3 bedrooms and two full baths with a tub in one of them. At least a 1/2 acre for garden space, room for the kids to play. We were/are DIY ers. so move in condition was not that important to us. As long as electrical, plumbing was updated, the rest wasn't important. It was reflected in the offer.

Assuming you are asking about things that you can possibly update for your future sale to attract buyers, and not about a location, property size, or school system you cannot change. People will not be looking at your house if it isn't in an acceptable location anyways.

I look for good bones- foundation, roof, appliances, windows, mechanicals.

Your own wall colors are fine as long as they aren't outlandish like a bright orange bedroom. Neutral is better, but not an all gray neutral which starts to feel like a rental. A few neutral-type colors would be nice.

Hopefully the kitchen is functional. The more updated it is the better, but it is understandable if you cannot update the kitchen before moving. I have been very happy in my previous house with non-preferred honey oak cabinets of good quality and a pristine laminate top. Of course, I always wished I had white painted cabinets while living there, but it wasn't a make or break detail. I saw a great floor plan, a clean home, strong foundation, dry basement, etc. Just make sure your place looks kept up inside and out, doesn't stink, and repaint rooms that really need a refresh. Updated lights can really change a look from outdated to fresh too.

Your question is too general. Central PA. Your target buyers; who are the specific groups of people most likely to buy your house? Put your focus there.

For a young family?

For a retired couple?

For investment property?

For commuting ease?

For health care?

For safety?

It is a check list. It is not just about your home and its condition.

Did a quick google search and it seems the specific group of people most likely to buy in your area are investors.

A good ROI (return on investment) would be at minimum 10%.

@ JUDY GRAHAM - I am beyond curious? You "Did a quick google search and it seems the specific group of people most likely to buy in your area are investors"

Central Pennsylvania is a huge area with lots of diversity - farmland and woodlands, small towns and mid sized cities, bedroom communities and college towns. . .

Investors can also be a varied group. Some investors are buying acreage for new developments, some are buying old mansions and converting them to apartments, some are flippers looking for run down properties they can flip quickly for a profit . . .

Where did you find this information??? It isn't true where I live.

While interest rates were lower, investors were buying in-town housing or flippping fixer-uppers. There are plenty This house will appeal to those buying above the local median price.

This location is prime - creekfront but not in a flood way . . . a no outlet street on the edge of an established neightbood that borders a private country club and suburb to the state capital.

We’ve completed the major upgrades (reputable contactors and quality materials) including a new furnace and a/c scheduled for install later this week. The 33yo Trane a/c unit has been repaired twice during our tenure.

The house was always too big for two of us, but we bought the location. Hubby likes to fish, I like to putz in the garden, and we both enjoy the outdoor space and wildlife. We are retired 2+ years and are easy on a house. There are a couple/few smaller projects remaining but I am ready and focused on prepping to move “back home.”

Most importantly, all of you here at houzz have helped me with many of the upgrades done over the past 12 years. I thank you very much. God only knows what the next house will bring : )

Location first. I also look at the potential for new construction to occur around the house. We recently had a house with beautiful private woods behind it. After two years, a developer came in and built 10 townhouses there, clearing out our privacy and dropping a unit 50 feet from our back door. There was nothing we could do about it except move again...

Location is the given.

I prefer a home with at least some privacy. I never want to look out a window into someone else’s window. The house needs to have some space around it.

We recently bought a second home and while we are not novices in renovating, it was important to me this time around that at least the kitchen to my liking..

I've been looking for a house every day since January, 2024. In my state, what I desire scarcely matters because the housing inventory is so low. Beggars can't be choosers, and home buyers are beggars right now in my area. But the home of my dreams would look like this:

• Minimum 1/2 acre, with the house as far as possible from the neighbors
• Privacy, so I can go out on my patio without being scrutinized
• Decent neighbors who maintain their properties well and don't raise a ruckus
• Well shaded, but no tall, dangerous trees (pines) next to the house
• Pleasant landscaping
• One-floor living
• Laundry on the main floor
• NEUTRAL COLORS on the walls in a beige/cream color. I HATE gray walls.
• Natural wood floors. I HATE gray laminate flooring
• Avoid white, gray, and black on the kitchen walls and countertops---more colors I HATE
• Small house with a compact, efficient design. I don't want to pay property taxes on and maintain half of the house that I never use.
• Easy-care landscaping
• Built after 1978 to be lead free
• Open kitchen and living room design
• No garage under. I want to park at the same level as the first floor to bring groceries in the house.
• Turn key: I don't want to do any home maintenance for the next 5 years.
• Charm and character
• Surrounded by natural beauty

In my current home I have 8 out of 18 of those desires. Hence my desire to move.

" dangerous trees (pines) "

Why do you think pines are more dangerous than other trees?

Living under them for 35 years, disposing of them when they fall due to wind and snow load, and seeing them fall on neighbors' homes. I've never lost a hardwood on my property.

" I've never lost a hardwood on my property. "

Different for me.....I've lost 5 hardwood, and no evergreens.

Guilty of not reading all the comments.

I think the target audience is where the critical thinking needs to go. I do not have young clients as much anymore ( late 20's early 30's buying first home ) . Most of them are on 2nd or 3rd homes or downsizing.

If the clients will be younger, I would look for more smart options - camera systems, wifi and wireless setups, some cool technology and a completed house - no projects. Staging the home would be critical for this buyer because they don't have a vision yet. Spend the time and money to have get photos online - that is where you will capture them.

For middle age and older, make spaces family friendly, good for aging in place- wider doorways, pullout conveniences in the kitchen, large shower in the master w/ deco grab bars, a first floor bedroom and full bath, great space for entertaining kids and grandkids, a garage or covered parking and everything needs to be easy to clean ( I hear that all the time! )

Good luck

@Debbi Washburn Easy to clean and maintain are my goals every step of the way.

@ tdemonti - It has just occurred to me that you could be asking about things you should think about in choosing your next home rather than how to make your home more attractive to buyers.

When I was searching for my current home I was moving across country, so I wasn't sure what my money would buy in a completely different location. I did know that there things I loved about my previous home and things I disliked about my previous home.

I started my process by doing an inventory of my current home - room by room.

I listed each room and determined how often I used the space, what worked and what didn't work. What did I minimally need to have my next home function well.

I knew I didn't have enough storage space in my current home - No attic or basement and limited closet space. I knew my bathrooms were small and that I wanted a few drawers in the next home for makeup and hair tools. (Both of my bathrooms were 5x8 and had 24" vanities.)

I knew that I had a formal living room that was never used. I knew that I loved the way my kitchen functioned. It held all of my kitchen stuff (dishes, pots and pans, tools and small appliances) and had ample counter space for prep and baking. I documented how many and what size drawers and cabinets I had and how much counterspace I had. I knew what furniture I would be moving and what would be sold or given away prior to the move. I measured the closet space I had and knew how many linear feet of hanging space I needed and how much shelf space I needed.

I traveled to PA 3 times each year for the 2 years prior to my move and the realtor I planned on using to purchase a home would meet me for a day and drive me from home to home to see houses that were on the market and in my price range. I had a very good idea of what I could afford, had seen a few homes over the past 2 years that would have worked well for me, but nothing that I felt compelled to purchase prior to selling my house. When I did finally move I stayed with my niece and started searching in earnest for a home to purchase or a short term rental. I looked at everything that was for sale when I got here and nothing felt quite right. About a week after getting here a home came on the market that was as close to perfect as I was ever going to find. It needed a lot of cosmetic updates, but the bones were good, the owners had maintained the home over the years and it was almost as though the house had been built to meet my specifications. I went from a home with 24 linear feet of closet space to one with over 70 linear feet of closet space. It had the rooms I wanted and no rooms that I didn't want. It did not have a 2 car garage, but it has an oversized one car garage and a covered carport. It also has a partial basement (500 sf). I do miss my perfect kitchen - this one is a bit shy on cabinet space and counter space, but I have plans to renovate that will add a bit more working space. I knew it was my house the first time I walked through. Checked box after box after box.

@Jennifer Hogan, I posed the question from a sellers perspective to, hopefully, know what we need to do to make this house sale-ready. I thought I wasn't ready to do it, but I started scribbling my wants and needs list for the next house as I read your post.

The idea of coordinating the purchase/sale or sale/purchase is daunting. Hubby and I lived with a German shepherd, amongst stacked boxes, in a one bedroom apartment - with two storage units - for a full year until we found this house. I don't see that happenning again.

Don't put significant money into it, thinking you will recoup it. You'll be cutting out people whose budget won't stretch to the new-improved price.

Clean, declutter.

That said, we bought our current house at the top of our budget. It was neither clean nor decluttered nor updated, but it was the right size and in the right location. Just the other day we were were laughing about the memory of when we were touring the house, that the surly teenage son was watching a loud TV program in the family room. Stuff everywhere.

The sellers of the home I purchased broke every rule of selling your home. The house was dark, the rooms were cluttered, things weren't clean and the husband insisted on leading the tour of his home. They were old and the wife was in bed when we arrived. She only came out to chastise him for entertaining not one, but two women right under her nose and in their home. She was in the later stages of dementia. I have the feeling that a first time home buyer might have run screaming from the house.

Sharing a couple of the listing photos - there weren't many - none of the kitchen, bedrooms or bathrooms as those rooms were more cluttered.

^^ Those aren't bad. I've seen MUCH worse... But yea, experienced buyers know to look past the clutter or ugly paint or bad decorating to get to what really matters.

IDK why people talk to a seller about things they cannot change about a house, like location, style, number of rooms or their sizes. You're selling what you've got! You will, of course, emphasize its best features in your listing.

Declutter and esentially empty the house. Clean. Paint anything that doesn't look *fresh*. Take care of any "When I get around to it" projects. Groom your landscaping.

Buyers want that imaginary oasis that requires *no work*. Most have no vision beyond what they see, and sometimes they they need guidance to see that! Provide a blank slate that a buyer can imagine furnishing. Find a professional photographer to showcase the best features of your house.

Look at your competition online to see how your house stacks up. If there are open houses, go look in person.

Look at RE sales figures in your community -- especially for homes similar to yours. Consider the RE market during that period. (When supply is low, almost anything will sell, and fast.) Ask some local realtors to assess your house. This is not an imposition but part of the job; you may list with one of them.

Remember, you are selling 'a house' to people looking to make it 'their home'. Detach!