You’ve probably heard someone not-so-experienced in real estate with a house for sale who is expecting a premium selling price as they brag how buyers will love the surround-sound system, or the customized cabinetry, or the designer wallpaper and interior paint – only to find out later that the house sold for about average for the neighborhood. What’s up with that?

What’s up is that the vast majority of home buyers aren’t shopping for extra features over and above what’s expected in their price range, and they certainly aren’t interested in paying for them.

Most home buyers select a price range and begin budgeting for every aspect of their move and the costs of settling into their new home, inevitably stretching their financial limits. They may enjoy the sound system or the custom cabinets, but they can live without them. So why would they give up something else they were counting on just so they can pay extra for the bling they don’t need?

Flippers who are newer to the business sometimes let their imaginations run away a bit when they think of how great their project house will be with some cool (and costly) extra features not many houses in that market will have – contrasting molding around the ceilings, a beautiful two-toned exterior paint design, or an added architectural feature. These extras rarely add much to the offers or significantly reduce time on the market, so in effect they end up coming out of the flipper’s own pocket, or profit margin. In some cases too many décor choices actually move the house away from the tastes of the average buyer.

On the other side, you don’t want your flip house to look cheap or dated compared with others in the same market. You do want to invest in value-added items that will make the house as attractive as competing properties, and will support a mid-market asking and offer price.

Help the home buyer feel she or he is getting good value for their money without you paying out-of-pocket for their extra comforts. Veteran flippers have found that being in the middle of the pack is the “not too hot, not too cold” comfort area for prospective buyers.

What added bling do you often see inside or outside of other people’s houses that you would not want on your own home?

Contact Andy Werner, real estate investor with many years experience with flips, rentals, wholesaling, and more, and share his knowledge at http://www.streetwisepropertyinvesting.com/contact/.