Listing Triangle™ - Front Street Brokers | Page 14

We often tell clients during walk through consultations, they need to
remove their footprint (and fingerprints!) from the house so that a buyer can
come in and envision themselves in the house. If the house is too
personalized, then a buyer can’t mentally see themselves “moving in’; the
house just won’t “feel right” to them, and they’ll cross it off their list.
Consider model homes. Builders will hire interior designers and invest
tens of thousands of dollars to furnish and accessorize a model home so that it
looks and feels like “home” and is “move in ready”. The same is true for all of
the DIY programs on television. These houses are staged because builders and
developers know that staging works. If you’re looking for a new home, too,
then you know what I mean when I say the house is welcoming and “just feels
right.”
Preparing the Home for Sale - Some “Universal Truths”
Preparing your home for sale may be the best money you spend this
year! It does not cost much to place special touches in a house prior to sale
and the returns can be significant. A properly prepared home will show better
than similarly situated homes in the area, increasing the chances for a fast sale
at a great price.
Preparing a house for sale – or staging it - is the process of presenting
your home in its best possible condition for buyers. It is not decorating, and
especially not decorating for yourself. This is a very important distinction to
make. Save all of your decorating ideas and personal color choices for your
new home. When you’re selling your house, the overall presentation needs to
appeal to the broadest pool of buyers. The house has to be first and foremost
clean, decluttered, and neutral, while at the same time offering a welcoming
and cozy feeling. Keep in mind that there are distinct differences between how
you live in a home and how it must show when it’s listed for sale.
The house also needs to be “depersonalized”. This is one of the hardest
concepts for home sellers to grasp, as their personal touches are what make the
house their home. Many sellers are reluctant to remove these personal touches
as they may start to feel their house is “empty” and not welcoming anymore.
But remember what I said before – the house that you’re selling really isn’t
your “home” anymore – it’s a product that needs to be marketed to the largest
pool of potential buyers, and that your new home is waiting for you
elsewhere. By depersonalizing your house, you’re helping to create an
atmosphere where a buyer can feel they can easily move in to the house.
It’s a tricky balance to achieve. Either there’s too much in the house
where the owners’ personality dominates, or too much has been removed from
the house and it now lacks charm and character. If you’re not sure what can
The Listing Triangle™
Page 13