When you listed the house, you knew it wouldn't be the greatest home you ever sold. In the back of your mind, you are hoping you can even get close to the asking price. Something bothers you about this particular property, but you just can't put your finger on what it is exactly. Buyers haven't been receptive either, yet they can't seem to articulate what it is they don't like about the home. It's just....creepy.

What makes a house creepy? Like haunted houses of folklore, the telltale signs are always the same. The dark isolated mansion (always a two-story) has fallen into disrepair from its grander days. It's surrounded by a broken down picket fence. The grounds are brown with dead leaves blowing in a howling wind. The facade looks like a forlorn face, with broken window eyes. Unexplained creaks and moans fill the air.

Brrr. Shiver. But, you protest, your listing is no haunted mansion. In fact it is a very nice ranch-style home. The structure is sound, and it's in good repair. So what is giving you and your buyers the creeps? And what can you do to turn their wail into a sale?

Many top Realtors have learned that there is a big difference between the way owners live in their homes and what the home should look like for marketing purposes. Start with what your seller can change the most easily. Measure your listing against the following list of buyer hot buttons. See where your listing falls short and what can be done about it. Tell your seller you are going to take the house on a trial showing with you and the seller playing the parts of the buyer. See what happens.

Here are the features about a home that buyers consider. Where does your listing fit?

Curb appeal

Get in the car. Drive around the block. Make a note of the other homes in the neighborhood. Look closely at the other homes offered for sale. Ask your seller what catches her eye about these homes. More than likely, it will be the same thing that will appeal to a buyer, no doubt.

Now, drive to your seller's home. Approach slowly. What features jump out at you? Some things you can change, others you can't. But if all the homes for sale in the neighborhood have pretty front landscaping and your seller's doesn't, this short drive is a good way to make a point.

Remind your seller that in order to sell, a home must look open and inviting. Perhaps your seller's home doesn't. Is there anything obscuring the entry? An overgrown bush or tree, perhaps? Suggest to your seller the entry be opened up with some pruning. If the entry is small, get rid of chairs, toys, or other items that show the scale unfavorably. Are the window treatments open so buyers can see inside? Have fresh flowers been planted in the front garden? Mature landscaping is desirable. Overgrown leggy plants are not. They can years onto the perceived age of an older home. Make sure the porch light is on for showings. Have your seller put out a fresh new welcome mat. Paint the front door and any trim that shows wear.

That "old" look

Young buyers are particularly unforgiving of houses which seem to be "stuck in an era." Its one thing when they want to redo a home like an Austin Powers 60s set, and quite another thing to encounter the real thing - a home that hasn't been updated since The Beatles met the Rolling Stones.

As much as it may pain your seller, ask her to remove and store as much clutter and memorabilia as possible. If there are hardwoods under that orange shag, suggest she rip that stuff up and get those planks polished.

Try to get your seller to make the home as "now" as possible. Let the trip down memory lane be something the buyer chooses, not something that is forced on them.

Remind your seller that buyers have their own tastes. The more the buyer has to do to move into the home, the further you are from making the sale.

Lights

Of course you want all the lights on for showings, but to test your listing on the Creep-o-meter, find out exactly how many lights it takes to make the home light and bright. Test the lights by entering the house at dusk while the lights are off. Turn the lamps on one by one. How many does it take to light the room? If every light is on and the room is still dark, action needs to be taken. Step up the wattage in the bulbs. Keep the curtains pulled open to allow in light. Suggest that the room be repainted in a light, fresh color.

Small rooms

Many older homes are designed with too many small rooms. Today's buyer wants and expects a roomy feel. Your buyer can either remodel or turn small into an advantage.

Small rooms can be delightful if they are used and decorated for the right purpose. Is the furniture in the room to scale? If not, ask your seller to remove some pieces and store them. Remove clutter. Re-stage the room with appropriate furniture that suggests its best use of space. Paint to lighten the walls.

Sometimes a home will just "flow" better if an unnecessary wall is removed. Make a mental note to ask your favorite contractor what it take to remove it and open up a room.

Flow

No one likes unpleasant surprises and nearly bumping into someone while rounding a dark corner is a little bit like a teaser in "Scream" or "I Saw What You Did Last Summer." You don't want to think the "killer" is lurking nearby ready to jump out. Check dark corners and see if something can be done to turn the scream into a cheer.

Stage the home for better flow. Make sure the room flow makes sense. If your seller has modified the home for their own purposes, restore each room to its original intended use. Move the computer off the dining room table. Make sure the buyer rounds the corner to find a clever nook - a place for a chair with a teddy bear on it or a small table with a dish of candy or a flowering plant. Open doors and keep them open with doorstops so your buyer doesn't leave with a knot on the head.

Remember older homes are designed to reflect the culture and beliefs of that era. If your seller's home has a locked away kitchen and your buyer wants an open kitchen, your contractor may once again come to the rescue. A wall may be the only standing between your buyer and bliss. Be ready to suggest a little remodeling.

Colors

It may have seemed a good idea at the time when your seller let the kids choose their own paint colors, but now those black walls have to go. Get the seller to think neutral and in color tones that will add to the illusion of space. Almost all buyers want more space.

Colors can date a home more quickly than any other single factor. Help your seller choose a neutral paint tone to cover those ashes of roses walls. If the wallpaper looks faded, tired and dated, suggest a new pattern, something neutral, of course.

Smell

Old musty smells are poison to buyers. Anything the seller has stored in moth balls needs to be removed and put into a storage unit. Have the seller air the house. Get the carpets and drapes cleaned. This is essential if the seller smokes.

Furniture can collect smells over the years. It wouldn't hurt to either get the furniture cleaned, or remove much of it to a storage unit.

Pets can add to the mustiness of a home. Some buyers may be sensitive to pet dander. Find out beforehand if your buyer is sensitive and have your seller arrange to remove the pets and vacuum before you arrive. Nothing gives a buyer the creeps worse than having to fight for air while looking at a home.

Security

Most buyers will wonder about security. They won't be reassured by a home that looks as if it is defending itself against certain assault. Burglar bars give a very negative image. They make the home look like a prison. They should be removed before putting the home on the market, or the house will definitely attract lower offers. Ditto for doors with more than two locks. Other things that can be done is to look around the property for "hiding" places. Make sure all views are clear. If something is blocking a view, see that it gets moved or removed.

The outside

Have your seller remove anything that is dead or appears neglected. Buyers will wonder if the seller allowed that rose bush to die, what else aren't they taking care of? And wondering what will break or go wrong next is definitely creepy.

If your seller has erected a pet cemetery, gently ask if the headstones can be removed for showings, or at least obscured with large potted plants.

If you have a dog, make sure the yard is picked up. If your seller's dog is Cujo, have her board the dog during showings. Nothing makes a home appear more hostile than a snarling, barking dog.

Lifestyle

Most buyers choose to buy a home because the home compliments the lifestyle they have chosen. They can entertain, raise a family, come and go as they please. In order to sell the home for top dollar, you have to be able to show the buyer how this home matches their needs.

Most buyers will be at odds with the lifestyle of the current owner and that can bring on a case of the creeps. Too many books, too many children, too many pets, too many of anything can keep your buyer from envisioning themselves living in the home. Make a point to find out from the buyer what it is they like to do with their families and friends, and how they like to spend their time. Then look for features in the home that can help them meet those goals.

That small room that was put to use as a cluttered sewing room by the current owner might make the perfect home office or nursery for the new buyers. Those wonderful trees that are making the house too dark and gloomy can be trimmed to let in light and provide a pleasant canopy for a picnic table.

What you and your seller want is the opposite of a creepy haunted house. Make the atmosphere as light as possible. Put the home in the best repair possible so buyers are more confident of the home. Make everything look and smell clean, so the home has a fresh ambiance.

If you can do that, there is little chance that the home will give anyone "the creeps."

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Published: July 8, 1999

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Blanche Evans is the award-winning senior editor of Realty Times, the Internet's leading independent real estate news service. She is featured daily on the Realty Times Video Network in the "Realty Viewpoint" segment. Blanche has been named one of the "25 Most Influential People In Real Estate" by REALTOR Magazine, and has been twice recognized as a "notable." In 2005, she was named "Top Reporter Covering the NAR" by Delahaye-Bacon's. Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. To contact Blanche, email her at . For more articles by Blanche, click here.