Boston condo Sellers beware: 5 things that can go wrong
Boston Condo for Sale Search
Boston condo Sellers beware: 5 things that can go wrong
A recent survey found that sellers had concerns!
Top fears of sellers:
25%: Not getting the price they wanted
22%: Slow sale
18%: Last-minute collapse
16%: Inspection issues
9%: Not finding a new home in time
My thoughts on each topic from the bottom up:
Not finding a new home in time (9%) – Don’t do this! If you are selling the home in which you reside, then have a clear path to where you will be moving. Renting first and doing the double move is a better option than buying the wrong house at the wrong price. Bridge loans are expensive but will avoid the double-move which isn’t cheap either. Have a solution in place before putting your home on the market to avoid the disaster of having the perfect buyer offer right away and you don’t take them up on it.
Inspection issues (16%) – Get a professional home inspection weeks or months prior to going on the market. It gives you ample time to correct anything, and/or disclose to the buyers before they make an offer. The conversation to sell our Linda Lane listing began over two years ago, and the house was untouched and tired-looking.
We wanted to make the home presentable without spending big money because we agreed that it would need to be attractively priced due to the proximity to the high school. The buyers’ home inspection revealed what everyone expected, which made it easier to come to an agreement – and they released all contingencies yesterday. If the buyers didn’t have our previous home inspection from the beginning, the condition might have carried more of a shock.
Last-minute collapse (18%) – I heard a story this week about buyers who released their loan and appraisal contingencies and the agent thought the home inspection was acceptable. He removed the staging and had the seller move out – only to have the buyers bail on the last day! In every agreement, there is a date specified for all contingencies to be released – after which the deposit is at risk. We always make the deposit the maximum allowable 3% of the purchase price and it’s very rare that buyers bail out after that day and lose their deposit. The time period mentioned in the contract is 17 days, and there are still listing agents who insist on making it shorter – I had one who gave me three days! A shorter period makes the buyers antsy and more likely to blow out so I want to give them at least ten days. Plus, if you are worried about a last-minute collapse, do a little extra for the buyers when it comes to their repair requests. Deals blow up because buyers get miffed – we operate in the no-miff zone!
Slow sale (22%) – Do everything better before going on the market, and still expect that it’s possible to hit a flat spot in the market. Do more pre-listing improvements, only have high-quality photos and videos, and hire a great agent and take their advice. Mentally prepare for price reductions, and when. Which leads to….
Not getting the price they wanted (25%) – It was only during the frenzy when mortgage rates were 3% that sellers could actually name their price. Throughout the rest of history, the ready, willing, and able buyers have determined what a home is worth. Sellers who embrace that fact and acknowledge that every listing is experimenting in price discovery these days will come out ahead.
The current market conditions are filled with uncertainty and chaos every day, and it’s just a different collection of variables for buyers to tackle (and you can say a better group of variables than having to decide how much OVER the list price to pay and losing several bidding wars).
Buyers have never been that comfortable since prices have doubled, and it feels like miracle work sometimes. But our Linda Lane listing demonstrates how a clear, thorough strategy from the beginning can cause the most challenging of homes to be sold for top dollar the first week and close in less than 30 days without incident! Even in this market!
Love thy neighbor
Updated: Boston Real Estate Blog 2025
Ford Realty Beacon Hill – Condo for Sale Office
Click here to view Google Ford Realty Reviews
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Boston Condos for Sale and Apartments for Rent
Boston condo Sellers beware: 5 things that can go wrong
Despite fierce competition in the housing market, nationwide, potential homebuyers still have dealbreakers — and they’re revealed in a new study by HomeAdvisor. The home improvement website surveyed nearly 2,000 recent homeowners to determine what, exactly, might prevent a sale.
Boston condos for Sale Deal Breakers
The main dealbreakers centered around exterior issues, closely followed by imperfect weatherproofing and, more generally, a large apparent number of necessary repairs. Forty-nine percent of respondents rated problems on the exterior of the house/condo building, including bad siding or loose bricks, as a primary concern. Forty-six percent expressed concern over weatherproofing issues. Other problems which ranked highly on the homeowners’ lists were cracked walls or ceilings, bad remodeling, and drainage issues.
Drawbacks that mattered the least to homebuyers were the location of a home in a fire zone, the presence of lead paint or radon, and undesirable landscaping.
However, overall, it’s the price and size of a home that matter most to buyers —followed closely by the inclusion of an updated kitchen. These are matters which have figured heavily into the homebuying process, particularly throughout the pandemic. Also due to pandemic stresses and constraints, HomeAdvisor reported that 84% of respondents admitted to deciding on a home before they felt fully comfortable committing.
Boston Real Estate Blog Updated 2025
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Boston Real Estate Search
Some Boston condos for sale have drawbacks, drawbacks that could be deal-breakers for homebuyers when it comes times to sell. As a home seller, you might be under the impression these drawbacks are little, like needing new carpet or paint. However, drawbacks that are deal-breakers for most buyers are more than a coat of paint. Deal-breakers are usually costly or something a homeowner has no control over. So let’s take a look at the top 5 deal-breakers for homebuyers.
Old Roof
Roofs are extremely expensive to replace. In fact, it’s one of the biggest expenses a homeowner may face throughout their ownership. So it’s no surprise Boston real estate buyers don’t want to purchase a home that has an older roof. In addition to the expense of replacing the roof,
Bad Neighbor
Yep, it’s true your neighbor can make it impossible to sell your downtown condominium. While your home might be picture-perfect if your neighbors are not it may cost you a sale. Nobody wants to live next to a neighbor who doesn’t maintain their yard or has a dog that is constantly barking. Sure, most cities have a noise ordinance and a barking dog can be reported, but who wants to take on that problem?
Strong Odors
From cigarette smoke to pet urine a strong odor can send a buyer right out the front door. A pungent food odor and toxic air freshener can do the same. While a food or chemical smell might go away after a deep clean, cigarette smoke and pet urine won’t. In fact, it can cost a lot of money to get rid of these smells. In severe cases, drywall and subfloors may need to be replaced and/or sealed. Not many buyers want to take on this type of project unless they are getting a phenomenal deal.
Toxic Mold
There are over 100,000 different species of mold. While some molds are harmless there are five mold categories that are very toxic; Cladosporium, Penicillium, Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Stachybotrys. It’s these toxic molds that can cause major health issues and scare homebuyers off.
Now, not all sellers know if their home contains toxic mold especially if it’s not visible, you might be included in this category, which is why you may want to have your home tested for mold before listing it for sale. Having a “negative” mold report can put a buyer’s mind at ease and if it’s “positive” you can take the steps to have it professionally remediated. However, it’s important to find the root cause of the mold otherwise it may reappear. This is one of the many reasons why you need to hire a professional mold expert, not a general contractor or inspector.
Bad Location
If your Boston home sits on a busy road, is close to train tracks or a cemetery it can make for a difficult sale. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about where your home is located, but you can make sure to price it accordingly. You’ll also want to create as much privacy as possible if your home currently doesn’t have any. Landscaping can go a long way to improve a home’s appearance and reduce the noise level.
Boston Real Estate and the Bottom Line
While a majority of buyers can look past paint and flooring they will not look past issues that are costly or will be costly in the feature. Nor will they look past issues that will interfere with their quality of life, such as a barking dog next door or a train whistle blowing throughout the day. As a seller, if your home has any of these deal breakers you should try addressing the ones you can prior to listing your home for sale. Homes with extensive deal-breakers can equate to a much lower sales price compared to the competition. Also, keep in mind deal-breakers will vary from area to area, so you’ll want to discuss the most common deal-breakers in your area with your listing agent.
Original Blog Post
Boston condo Sellers beware: 5 more things that can go wrong
You’re motivated. You’re excited. You’re even impatient. After all, you’re ready to change locations! Whether for a career move or a simple change of scenery, you want things to move smoothly in the selling of your downtown Boston condo. However, in your haste to move, you make a few slip-ups.
These mistakes could cost you dearly, so it’s wise to take the following warnings into account and make your house-selling smart.
In the real estate industry, these five things are listed as reasonably sure ways to hurt the chances – and the profit potential – in selling your Boston Beacon Hill condo
1 – Asking too much for the home.
There may be an agent who wants your business so much that he or she will suggest to you an unusually high sales price. You get caught up in the euphoria of making some extra cash, and you take the agent into your fold. The problem is, your Boston Seaport condo is not going to automatically default to the price that the agent suggests. The price will be determined by current market conditions and the added value that your property offers to potential buyers. Once your Boston midtown condo is on the market and has scared away people, you’re already in a jam. You’ll be forced to take it off the market, possibly look for another agent, re-enter the market, and hope that nobody finds out about your initial mistake. They will.
Solution: Seek out an agent who has a proven track record, has the local market knowledge and will be upfront with you about current market conditions. It’s important that you find an agent that can provide comparative sales and experience to substantiate the recommended price. So, how do you find such an agent? Contact Ford Realty and schedule an appointment for us to visit your property and provide you with a realistic sales price, backed up with our years of experience and up to date sales data. We can be reached at 617-595-3712…you knew that plug-in was coming..lol
2 – Listing with a real estate company that is NOT technologically advanced.
It’s estimated that over 80% of today’s Boston downtown condo buyers begin their home search via the internet, while over 95% of all Boston condo buyers will use the internet to assist in helping find their next home. If you’re not listed with a firm who can market to and attract these buyers, you’re missing out on the greatest percentage of potential buyers.
Solution: Right now you are visiting one of the most advanced real estate websites, and one of the most visited real estate websites in the metro in downtown Boston. That’s just the beginning, as soon as buyers reach our site they have the most up to date resources available, such as Google full detailed descriptions, current prices and status, just to name a few. Buyers have said that one of the most important features they prefer on a real estate website is the ability to see large pictures, we’ve responded and provide a photo viewer for every Atlanta property with the larger size photos that these buyers are looking for.
3 – Being sloppy outside.
“Curb appeal” is the phrase to remember. Many decisions are made as the potential Beacon Hill condo buyers pull up to the front of the building and steps into the lobby What will they think when they see peeling paint, dirty carpet, paper filled entrance way…
Solution: Walk out to the front of the building – out in the street, and take a look at what the buyer sees. Then get to work sweeping the walk, cleaning the trash on the street, and vacuuming your entranceway
4 – Forgetting the need for a homey feel on the inside.
One my recent buyers had a strong interest in a particular Charles River Park condo – until they walked into one bedroom which was festooned with racy posters and raunchy signs. It turned out to be their reasoning for not buying the home. Do you have the television blaring or dishes stacked up in the sink? Then you’d better get ready for a lot of rejections.
Solution: Run the vacuum over the carpet before a viewing. Apply fresh paint on the walls. Put fresh flowers in a vase, and turn on low soft music. Straighten the closets and fix the beds. Make the house feel more than comfortable – make it feel inviting.
5 – Not dealing with health and safety issues.
One of the oft-discussed subjects by an interested buyer is in the area of safety of the home. Hiding any issues will come back to haunt you. Are there environmental concerns or structural problems affecting the home?
Solution: Be upfront and open about any health, safety, or environmental issues with your home. If you want to factor in the repair into the cost of the home, go ahead. If there is an existing property problem, you will only bring yourself grief if you try to avoid them.
