I am selling a not so big house in Baltimore County, Maryland. Most buyers can't adjust to the lack of a formal dining room. We also have a geo-thermal heating system. Despite the obvoious savings, buyers are hesitant to do anything different than what they know. Any advise?
You will need to get into a different market than the one you're currently in. The mainstream market won't work for your kind of house. If you have a local "green" magazine or paper, you might want to post it there, or find a local crowd that is interested in sustainability. They will likely be the same kind of people that would be interested in your house. Another way to do it is to create a postcard with a picture of your house on the front, and use it as an invitation for an open house. Then, invite anybody you know, and ask them to bring their friends. Word of mouth works very well in selling Not So Big houses.
We have been trying to sell our Not So Big House in Northern Virginia - land of columns and grand entry ways - for 1.5 years now. Yes, people have loved it but didn't buy it because they didn't know where to put their formal dining room furniture. I like the idea of the postcards to the right market inviting to an open house. This is a beautiful efficient house open to lovely views on 2.5 acres. But it only has 3 bedrooms - oh dear - though 2000 sq.ft. We have dropped the price quite low for the area: $475,000. Everyone loves it; no one buys it! We will try connecting with Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy which we belong to. Does anyone know any green housing bulletins that circulate in the DC area?
You might also try contacting the architect or designer of your home to see if they might be able to help you sell it. Their clients and friends of clients are likely to be the best candidates for buyers. If they are involved in the open house, it gives them a good opportunity to showcase their work and find new potential clients, so it's a win win. Sarah's firm used to do this with their houses that came up for sale.
My husband is the designer and builder. He has gone ahead to California which is our destination and reason for selling the house. I am waiting here in Virginia for the house to sell. Well, these aren't easy times are they? Thank you, Marie.
