What's "Out" With Homebuyers in 2006

According to industry commentator Mark Nash, these are on the "Outs" for 2006:
- Ebony-stained hardwood floors. You're better off tearing it out than trying to sand the ebony out to refinish;
- Single-rod closets. Buyers want the most storage in the least amount of space. Organizers accomplish this;
- Dark rooms with small windows. Natural light can overrule a lot of other problems in a home;
- Wallpaper. Buyers never have the same taste as decorators. Take it down (carefully) and paint;
- Builder grade light fixtures and interior fixtures used outside. The right fixtures say quality to buyers;
- Mid-century awnings on exterior windows and doors. Buyers want to let the sun shine in;
- Mirrored backsplash's in kitchens and everywhere else. Mirrored walls and ceilings say 1980's hedonism;
- Commitment (strong, bold trendy) colors. They look great in magazines, but as one buyer said to me "I don't live in a magazine";
- Gas grills that need their own tank. Buyers prefer the gas piped from the house so they don't have to replace tanks; and
- Dropped ceilings. It might have updated a bungalow in the 1950's, but buyers want as much vertical space as possible.

And here a couple of things "On the Way Out":
- Stainless steel appliances. Word-of-mouth says the cleaning requirements aren't for everyone; - Laminate flooring that looks like hardwood. Not only can buyers tell it's not wood, the noise it makes with high-heel shoes is the deal killer during property showings.

What's In - What's Out with Homebuyers in 2006 [Broker Agent News]