Plight of “The Kind-of-Dated House”
The good is the enemy of the great.
–Voltaire
When it comes to enticing Buyers, “all new” is good (assuming it’s well-done).
“Hopelessly dated” isn’t so good, but when that’s the case, at least it’s usually apparent to everyone (including the owner) — and priced accordingly.
Which leaves the big, fat middle: homes that aren’t quite state-of-the-art, but aren’t quite ready for complete rehab, either.
Call them merely “tired” (vs. “exhausted”).
Two problems
Such homes often encounter two problems finding Buyers:
One. Seller (Mis)perception.
Sellers who live in the home day-to-day are frequently oblivious to ways in which it may now be dated; Exhibit A would be the home I saw on MLS recently that boasted “New Kitchen in 1998!”
Uhhh, that “new Kitchen” would now be almost 15 years old.
Two. Buyer Quandary.
When everything’s just kind-of-dated, it can be hard to know where to start remodeling.
I’ve also seen Buyers balk at spending big money to replace things (carpet, Bathrooms, etc. ) that still have useful life left in them, but are underwhelming (to say the least).
Eventually, of course, the market — and time on the market — sorts out all of the above.
But, the ride for such “in-between” properties can often be longer and bumpier, especially when they’re mispriced.
