Clutter-free Decatur condo attracts buyer

Where: Decatur’s Emory Garden complex

Why they sold: Susan purchased the condo for $91,000 in 2002 as a bank-owned property, and spent about $25,000 remodeling it. It was before she met Frank, and after they were married in August 2010, they wanted more room.

Time on market: 53 days

Original price: $109,000

Sale price: $98,000

What it took: Their agent, Derek Scheidt with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, recommended they fix some cracks in the walls and replace the ceramic sink in the bathroom. Then they organized the house, including removing appliances from kitchen countertops. They cleaned out closets to show off their size and even arranged their clothes by color. It was a lot of little changes so that when a potential buyer viewed the condo, they would know that nothing needed to be done, said Frank, 40, a manager with Agco Corp. A prime feature was the condo’s location. “It was on the top floor in the back corner and has a gorgeous wooded view,” said Susan, 38, who works for the Georgia Forestry Commission. It also was close enough to walk to the shops and restaurants on the Decatur Square and was an attractive location for students attending nearby Emory University.

Potential stumbling block: Susan originally hoped to get back all the money she put into the home. Her “wishful thinking” was to sell the home for $116,000. Then she learned that others were selling for lower than that. To sell it, she had to be willing to start out at a lower price, and then drop the price to $105,000 before getting an offer. The first offer was $80,000. They countered, but another cost factor arose. The condo association was considering a $2,000 assessment for roof repairs. The couple had decided the lowest they would go is $100,000, so they agreed on a sale price of $98,000 and covered the $2,000. They closed on the home in April.

Seller’s hint: Don’t be messy. “It was completely move-in ready,” Frank said. “Everything was clean. There was no clutter.”