What is your approach to selling your house?

Visualizing the benefits of Staging is often a challenge for most people. Often times, my clients will tell me that they think that their house looks, ‘fine the way it is’. Can you see the problem with this statement? There are actually, two problems with it. Let’s explore them.

  1. Saying, ‘my house looks fine the way it is’ is basically saying that, what your buyer wants is not important.  If your buyer feedback was ‘Yah, it’s fine, but it’s not for me’ what would your reaction be to this feedback? The statement ‘it’s fine’, won’t leave a lasting impression. You have not ‘targeted your buyer’ and therefore you potentially face a house that sits on the market. If they are not wowed‘, they may focus on the deficiencies and want to barter on your asking price. Your house may not stand out against the competition.
  2. When you say, ‘my house looks fine the way it is’you are viewing your house strictly from ‘your’ own style and preferences. Unless, ‘you’ are the one buying your house, it is important to reconsider how you have decided to market your property. Property Stylist’s dig deep and wil view your house, with your Target Market Buyer  in mind. They will identified any deficiencies and provide valuable recommendations in order to avoid any potential for your buyer to want to negotiate on price. These recommendations will include; a proper floor plan, décor scheme that is line with your target buyer,  and will follow the rules of colour CCTF – continuity – theme and flow, that will directly meet your buyers expectations.

Fact: Studies have shown that a house that the longer a house sits on the market, the further the price drops. This will become what is classed as a stale listing. 

The Buyers Judging Eye!

This is an interesting phrase. Why, because sometimes we don’t recognize, that when people come through our house to view it, that they will be judging every single aspect of the house. They are hoping to find cause to negotiate on price.

Sometime things that are not even included as part of the listing, may leave, a negative lasting impression.

For example, the pink floral sofa you have coveted because grandma gave it to you and you though, all it needs is some new fabric and voila its new again, may be perceived by your buyer as ‘OMG, did you see that hideous pink floral sofa… yikes’. Regardless of the fact it is not a permanent fixture in your house, it still is a negative reaction and the house may be perceived as dated and your buyer may move on, feeling it is not what they are looking for. Perception is everything!

Example Two, something as simple as updating your light switch plates and outlets is a quick fix and affordable. It tells your buyer that you are paying attention and may be perceived as the electrical as being more in line with today’s standards.

Fact: You have to deliver to your Target Market Buyers expectations.

 

Our Attachment to the Things we Love in our Home.

It’s understandable that when someone comes into your home and provides you with recommendations to make so many drastic changes such as; removing personal photos, pack up treasured momento’s, change the paint colour and  reorganize the floor plan, one might become a tad insulted and defensive. After all, it is your home, where you have invested a labour of love for so many years to create a space you are comfortable in.

The key word there being, your home However, you are in the business of selling your ‘house’, not your homeIt really is that simple! This subtle shift in mindset can make a huge difference in the success of the sale of your house.

Think of it this way… you have a very expensive product to sell, and for most people, it will be the single most expensive purchase they will ever make, and they are trying to visualize it as being their home.

Detaching and Depersonalizing are key components, when listing your property for sale. Why, because you take the ‘you’ out of what is to become ‘theirs’.

Its important that you remember, that while you are selling your house, you are most likely shopping, for your new home too. And with that, you will have the ‘buyers judging eye’, while you visit their homes

FACT: 90% of buyers cannot visualize and they only remember what they see… not what it can be!

In Conclusion… Some Final Thoughts.

I feel for some people, the thought of having to put so much effort in preparing their house for sale is a daunting task. This coupled with the investment that they are looking at financing is overwhelming. I get it!

But in all honesty, if you are not taking the business of selling your house seriously, and doing what is necessary to attract your buyer into the door ‘effectively’, then you are actually doing yourself a disservice.

Keep this in mind – during the time your property is on the market, you are paying for your taxes, mortgage, utilities, property maintenance (even is this is simply sweat equity – which to me – time is money), cleaning (again possibly sweat equity) and the stress layered into all of this, is very costly to the entire family.

If you cannot get people into the door, because you have not addressed the needs and expectations of your target market buyer, then how do you ever expect to get an offer on your house? No potential buyers means no potential offers.

There are many ways that funding is available, so I recommend looking at speaking with your mortgage broker or bank to see how they can help you. This can be perceived as a temporary investment for a quicker sale at top dollar, which will put that money back into your pocket and quite possibly more than you could have thought.

What has been your approach to selling your home and have you found the information I have laid out here valuable? Have you come to realize that you are an investor in the Real Estate of your house and this is big business and should be dealt with seriously?

Leave your comments and let us know what you think, we are all students of life and your input may teach us something.

As always, helping you in caring for your Total Home!

Cindy Lutes – Certified Property Stylist – Total Home