Get Your Jefferson Village Condo Noticed and SOLD!

Jefferson Village Condos in Yorktown New York-just like any other community-it has history and character that makes them unique.  Understanding both is  fundamental in developing a successful selling strategy. In this series, we look at specific properties, discuss what is appealing to who, and why-and how to use that to get that type of property noticed and SOLD.

In 1950, Yorktown was a cozy  town of  4700.  Land, easy access to the Taconic Parkway, and IBM’s new Watson Center was all the encouragement many first-time buyers needed to migrate. By 1960 it grew almost four-fold, to over 16,000 residents, and almost doubling again by 1980, to over 32,000.

The first 55+ condo in Westchester, Jefferson Village condos were probably designed for two main markets:  first wave of locals downsizing within Yorktown, and those from out of the area, to be closer to their families and grandchildren. 

There are 11 different condos under the JV umbrella, built between 1968 and 1987.  1000 units among 195 buildings, on 114 acres. Most are 2-story garden style units with exterior stairs, but later construction included ranch-style attached properties.

 Jefferson Village condos offer the comfort and convenience of condo living at a very nice price. Current research shows 15 active listings, but with the market trending up, and spring market thisclose, expect it to change often.   

These units tend to either turn quickly, or sit forever. Sellers, or heirs who overestimate  demand based on price alone are pretty much guaranteeing the latter.  (If you are selling to satisfy an estate, you have another set of  compelling needs, click here to read about preparing an Estate property for market.)

It’s simple housing….LR/DR/BRs are generally good size, but  kitchens and  bathrooms are pretty utilitarian.  Most who buy here are downsizing from traditional spaces, so (s-h-h-h-h) focusing on the most house-like details is one of the secrets to getting your Jefferson Village condo noticed, and SOLD:

Make internal repairs Leaky faucets, sticky sliders, cracked tub grout, etc. may seem trivial, but your buyer has been there/done that and will either pass, or will want to take it out of the selling price.

Clean   Hire a top-notch cleaning service-people who’ll see (and smell!) what you don’t.  All the more important for a vacant space, where wear and grime will be that much more evident.

Edit  “Cute” does not put money in your pocket.  Lots of little things visually shrink a space, and also distract buyers. The space photographs much more expansively, more richly with some color and a few important pieces. 

Modest updates  These are not complicated or oversize spaces, so just by that virtue alone you’re not talking about a lot of money.

First- bring it into this decade: Lose the verticals.  White, off-white or frothy, pastel wall colors. Small throw rugs, and white chenille bedspreads.  Shiny brass or smoked bronzed glass lighting fixtures. Mirrored walls. Shabby, worn or mismatched towels and bed linens, flattened toss pillows. (“Good enough” is NOT  good enough for your buyers!)

Instead: Get inexpensive generic folding shades and simple ready-made long panels to frame the windows. Remove wall mirroring, paint a warm neutral. If there are wood floors, buy a room-size rug; or replace worn or off-color broadloom with a fresh Berber. Switch out the fixtures, and while you’re at it, buy some lamps-these units have no ceiling lighting, and tend to be very unevenly lit. 

Show rooms solely as their intended-traditional- purpose: a DR that could host a holiday dinner, a guest room that a grandchild would be  comfortable in. Minimize the appearance of the TV(s).  Tuck your workspace in an innocuous space-far corner of the LR, or 2nd BR.

New linens add life and vitality. Consider adding cove (ceiling) moulding, re-glazing the tub, even replacing the original toilets with newer  ‘comfort seat’ height. Yes, snicker all you want, but you don’t have to be 55+ to appreciate that extra height!

It’s important that sellers are committed to doing the best they can. No matter the price point, this Westchester County Home Stager maintains that buying should be a step up.Keeping the focus on helping buyers realizing their new dream is one of the best ways to get your Jefferson Village condo noticed, and SOLD!