Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neutral walls (no shades of grey)
Updated appliances (within the last 10 years)
Fenced in yard
Hardwood (little to no carpet)
Updated windows (within the last 10 years)
All bedrooms on same floor
Ideally laundry room not in the basement
Newer roof (10-15 years left)
Home with great natural light
Hood over stove in kitchen
Recessed lighting no track lighting
Central lighting in all bedrooms
Proper tubs no inserts

Plus great (9/10) schools
Walkability
Under $600K

Roll your eyes elsewhere

I think our generation is like any generation—wanting a clean safe home, and what distinguishes us is that home prices are much higher relative to income these days (to put all those “they want something for nothing” comments in context).

I will say that these are things I (an elder millennial who has bought a house twice) prioritized:

- walkable/bikeable/ transitable (??) location! We are probably more likely to want to commute without a car, so if you have that option in your house, highlight it!

- we have kids now, so we wanted a yard for the kids to play in. We didnt care about fancy landscaping because we planned to put in a play structure this time around. 10 years ago we were looking for more entertaining space, so if your house is more marketed to the pre- (or no) kids crew, show off the deck vibes!

- we didn’t want a rental, we wanted space for kids to play

- we personally didn’t care about the house’s finishes too much, because we prefer to get a deal on a house and renovate it to our taste, rather than pay through the nose for someone else’s bland upgrades. But we may be in the minority there. Again it may depend on whether your house is marketed to first time buyers, who are more likely intimidated by needing to do a lot of work.

- schools. Obviously there’s isn’t much you can do to spiff those up though.

- environmentally conscious decisions. I think our generation may be more motivated by this than previous ones. But we liked where the house was already updated with green appliances (or was priced where we could make those updates), where the landscaping is relatively green, where they have (working) solar panels, rainwater collection, and/or compost options, or the neighborhood is not car-dependent.

But really, in this tight market, don’t sweat it, do less to your house. Unless you have an assignable interest rate—that would be clutch!

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Anonymous wrote:The same things everyone wants - everything in good working condition so they don’t move in and have to do a bunch of work/repairs right away. Millennials are working age adults, they probably have little kids too, so we don’t have time to fix holes in the walls and barely-working appliances.

They are lazy plus don’t know how to do repairs. They have a ton of free time to do it. They are remote or WFH most days. So yes fix it up.

But don’t pretend it is a time issue they barely work.

Ok Grandpa.

grandpa would know how to fix up the house, though.

Grandpa had a stay at home wife to manage all the kids and running the household, and then spent his evenings and weekends tinkering with house projects so he could further avoid any other domestic duties.

So I guess yay. He could put up drywall, but never changed a diaper.

Grandpa is probably in his late 50s or 60s now, so is Gen X - your image of "grandpa" is a little off.

Well I’m a millennial with young kids (under 8) and their grandpas on both sides are in their early to mid 70s. Most people in their late 50s have kids a few years out of college, maybe late 20s, and are are still in the workforce, not downsizing their homes.

Are you time traveling from the 1890s? People in their 50s in DC have way younger kids. I was at the Back to School Night at Winston Churchill last week and TONs of dads between 60-70. Plenty of moms looked 60.

several of my friends had kids between 40 and 55.

Is Robert Deniro, Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin downsizing?

My friends kindergarten class had a few 60 -65 year old dads, second wives and/or trophy wives.

I dropped my daughter at College last week and my 64 year old cousin and her 74 husband dropping their freshman kid off at same time. And guess what plenty of 70 something dads dropping kids off.

Harrison Ford is 80 and his kid just graduated college.

How are people in DC getting married at 38 having kids 39, 42 and 45 ever downsizing?

Plus college is going to be 100k a kid very shortly. How does a 60 year old man with two kids in college retire?

Anonymous wrote:Bunch of them came to my open house yesterday, drooled over the finishes and kitchen appliances, loved the patio and yard, wanted the school district. Then told me the house was overpriced. Just ratified an offer $116K above the asking price.

The best thing you can give them is a clue.

LOL yes lots of them seem to want something for nothing. They complained that the finishes in a home I sold were dated (true, reno was 10 years prior), but the more updated ones were $500K+ more. We got competing offers too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same things everyone wants - everything in good working condition so they don’t move in and have to do a bunch of work/repairs right away. Millennials are working age adults, they probably have little kids too, so we don’t have time to fix holes in the walls and barely-working appliances.

They are lazy plus don’t know how to do repairs. They have a ton of free time to do it. They are remote or WFH most days. So yes fix it up.

But don’t pretend it is a time issue they barely work.

Ok Grandpa.

grandpa would know how to fix up the house, though.

Grandpa had a stay at home wife to manage all the kids and running the household, and then spent his evenings and weekends tinkering with house projects so he could further avoid any other domestic duties.

So I guess yay. He could put up drywall, but never changed a diaper.

Grandpa is probably in his late 50s or 60s now, so is Gen X - your image of "grandpa" is a little off.

Well I’m a millennial with young kids (under 8) and their grandpas on both sides are in their early to mid 70s. Most people in their late 50s have kids a few years out of college, maybe late 20s, and are are still in the workforce, not downsizing their homes.

Anonymous wrote:Getting ready to sell. What do they want? Hard scape? Type of stove? Rentable apartment in basement? Shaker cabs? Anyone?

Do they have much choice? Aren't most of them moving in with their parents or clumping with several roommates?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same things everyone wants - everything in good working condition so they don’t move in and have to do a bunch of work/repairs right away. Millennials are working age adults, they probably have little kids too, so we don’t have time to fix holes in the walls and barely-working appliances.

They are lazy plus don’t know how to do repairs. They have a ton of free time to do it. They are remote or WFH most days. So yes fix it up.

But don’t pretend it is a time issue they barely work.

Yes remote, but working 60 hour weeks, so no, not really any time. I do hate DIYing things either way though

There is 168 hours in a week. So sorry 108 hours you can find a free moment.

But seriously 90 percent of home repairs it is quicker and cheaper to do your self.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same things everyone wants - everything in good working condition so they don’t move in and have to do a bunch of work/repairs right away. Millennials are working age adults, they probably have little kids too, so we don’t have time to fix holes in the walls and barely-working appliances.

They are lazy plus don’t know how to do repairs. They have a ton of free time to do it. They are remote or WFH most days. So yes fix it up.

But don’t pretend it is a time issue they barely work.

Ok Grandpa.

grandpa would know how to fix up the house, though.

Grandpa had a stay at home wife to manage all the kids and running the household, and then spent his evenings and weekends tinkering with house projects so he could further avoid any other domestic duties.

So I guess yay. He could put up drywall, but never changed a diaper.

I can put up drywall and change a diaper and so can my husband.

Lol haha he can’t put up drywall. But I can.

Putting up sheet rock, I do the plaster on the lats. Old school

Anonymous wrote:They aren’t handy. Everything has to be fixed up, painted, in working order. Also, many are paranoid about permits & suspicious of DIY work. Have any building permits from past renovations available.

This is pretty accurate.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same things everyone wants - everything in good working condition so they don’t move in and have to do a bunch of work/repairs right away. Millennials are working age adults, they probably have little kids too, so we don’t have time to fix holes in the walls and barely-working appliances.

They are lazy plus don’t know how to do repairs. They have a ton of free time to do it. They are remote or WFH most days. So yes fix it up.

But don’t pretend it is a time issue they barely work.

Ok Grandpa.

grandpa would know how to fix up the house, though.

Grandpa had a stay at home wife to manage all the kids and running the household, and then spent his evenings and weekends tinkering with house projects so he could further avoid any other domestic duties.

So I guess yay. He could put up drywall, but never changed a diaper.

I can put up drywall and change a diaper and so can my husband.

Lol haha he can’t put up drywall. But I can.

Also fwiw drywall is something I would absolutely hire out because I can do it, but it will take me 5x the time and won’t be as neat as a pro who does it every day. But being able to patch drywall neatly is something every homeowner should be able to do because if you just have a hole it’s not worth hiring out and it’s fine if it takes you forever.

Plumbers, electricians etc.. can and will charge a lot just to do something simple because they know that the owner doesn't know any better.

Dh's doctor friend called him and asked him what he thought about a plumbing issue and the cost to repair because the plumber was charging $700 for something. DH went over there, took a look, and fixed it with a $25 part he had in 30min.

Unless you don't mind paying up the nose for simple home diy stuff, it does pay to have someone in the home know how to fix it, or at least how much time/effort it would take to fix it. Otherwise, you get scammed.

Bunch of them came to my open house yesterday, drooled over the finishes and kitchen appliances, loved the patio and yard, wanted the school district. Then told me the house was overpriced. Just ratified an offer $116K above the asking price.

The best thing you can give them is a clue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same things everyone wants - everything in good working condition so they don’t move in and have to do a bunch of work/repairs right away. Millennials are working age adults, they probably have little kids too, so we don’t have time to fix holes in the walls and barely-working appliances.

They are lazy plus don’t know how to do repairs. They have a ton of free time to do it. They are remote or WFH most days. So yes fix it up.

But don’t pretend it is a time issue they barely work.

Ok Grandpa.

grandpa would know how to fix up the house, though.

Grandpa had a stay at home wife to manage all the kids and running the household, and then spent his evenings and weekends tinkering with house projects so he could further avoid any other domestic duties.

So I guess yay. He could put up drywall, but never changed a diaper.

I can put up drywall and change a diaper and so can my husband.

Lol haha he can’t put up drywall. But I can.

Also fwiw drywall is something I would absolutely hire out because I can do it, but it will take me 5x the time and won’t be as neat as a pro who does it every day. But being able to patch drywall neatly is something every homeowner should be able to do because if you just have a hole it’s not worth hiring out and it’s fine if it takes you forever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same things everyone wants - everything in good working condition so they don’t move in and have to do a bunch of work/repairs right away. Millennials are working age adults, they probably have little kids too, so we don’t have time to fix holes in the walls and barely-working appliances.

They are lazy plus don’t know how to do repairs. They have a ton of free time to do it. They are remote or WFH most days. So yes fix it up.

But don’t pretend it is a time issue they barely work.

Ok Grandpa.

grandpa would know how to fix up the house, though.

Grandpa had a stay at home wife to manage all the kids and running the household, and then spent his evenings and weekends tinkering with house projects so he could further avoid any other domestic duties.

So I guess yay. He could put up drywall, but never changed a diaper.

I can put up drywall and change a diaper and so can my husband.

Lol haha he can’t put up drywall. But I can.

Clean, no immediate fixes needed, and many need wfh space now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The same things everyone wants - everything in good working condition so they don’t move in and have to do a bunch of work/repairs right away. Millennials are working age adults, they probably have little kids too, so we don’t have time to fix holes in the walls and barely-working appliances.

They are lazy plus don’t know how to do repairs. They have a ton of free time to do it. They are remote or WFH most days. So yes fix it up.

But don’t pretend it is a time issue they barely work.

Ok Grandpa.

grandpa would know how to fix up the house, though.

Grandpa had a stay at home wife to manage all the kids and running the household, and then spent his evenings and weekends tinkering with house projects so he could further avoid any other domestic duties.

So I guess yay. He could put up drywall, but never changed a diaper.

Well, my 59 yr old DH does a lot around the house and child care (cooked all of DC's baby food himself). He's washing up after breakfast right now and will be doing the laundry while I go have a massage.

And he can DIY repair around the house. Neighbors and friends come to him for DIY opinions. But, then, he's an engineer, and he's never wasted time playing computer/video games.