How to Get Buyers to Fall in Love with Your Home
If you’ve ever been in a model or show house, you know how great they look. Everything is clean, tidy, shiny and bright. When houses have that kind of appeal, they sell quickly and for the highest price. Interestingly, transactions for well-maintained homes usually have very few hiccups, because the Buyer can see what they are getting: a much-loved property.
Ironically, as simple and logical as this may be, the majority of homes for sale fall short of this ideal.
One of the most critical aspects of my expertise is helping Sellers add value to their homes is by advising them of improvements to make to the condition of their property prior to listing. My philosophy for selling a home stems from growing up in a family that bought, renovated and sold well-loved homes virtually every other year.
4 Factors That Control the Sale of Any Property
1. Terms—This includes market conditions, interest rates, financial indexes, employment levels, and market confidence. We don’t control terms but they make a major impact as we market your house.
2. Condition—If condition is not model-house perfect, the price will have to be adjusted. Many Buyers expect, and often receive, two to three dollars off the asking price for every dollar of work they perceive to be necessary.
3. Marketing—Your Agent controls the story of your home and it's sale. Their approach, confidence, reputation, communication style, work ethic and polish determine not only how you enter the market but also your outcome of sale.
4. Price— Every Agent and client has their own philosophy; the important part is getting it right!
Generally every client wants to sell for the best possible price in the least amount of time. To do so, it is most important to have Condition perfected when your property first goes on the market. I take my clients through a 30 page checklist on Condition. Here is an example:
Just as you can’t duplicate a first kiss, you can't re-do the début of your property on the market. After the initial surge of interest, the only people to look at it will be those Buyers new to the market. The greatest return on investment comes from telling all potential Buyers "this home is well-loved" so they can envision a life full of love (instead of never-ending maintenance) in it, too!
