What is a house?

It’s a structure to protect us from the elements, a place to keep our belongings and possessions safe, but it’s also a place to call “home”, a place to share a life with our special someone, a place to raise a family, a place to celebrate with friends and family, a place of security. It’s a place we all dream of having at one time or another in our life.

From a marketing perspective a home is a very interesting thing. Sure it’s a product you can see and touch, but it’s also an idea. So when you’re looking at how you are going to get this home ready to place on the market, don’t forget to not only look at what is visibly pleasing, but its functionality as well. You’ve got a diverse group of buyers out there which is why there is no reason you can’t sell “any” home. Buyers want to see how they are going to “live” in the home, which is why putting photos on the listing that show the home’s layout are important. Buyers have different needs and desires when buying a home. What works for one, may not work for another. But if you show the “whole” house, you have a better shot of reaching the “right” buyer.

Your main objective when preparing the home for listing is to get it clean, functioning and visually appealing to the majority. The first two are self-explanatory, but let me explain more about the third. When I say “visually appealing” some would think that I mean you need to upgrade items. That’s not necessarily the case. Yes, if there is an offending/obnoxious paint color on a wall then, sure, the sellers would want to paint it more neutral. If the tile in the home is outdated but neutral in color, then no, you may not need to upgrade. Upgrading high ticket items doesn’t mean you’re going to get a higher purchase offer. In these situations you need to consider the location, price point of the home and comparables. The objective is to have the home as “neutral” visually as possible. This is what will draw more potential buyers in. You’re going to have the buyers that want turn-key, and you’re going to have those who simply want to tweak it to their taste. The percentage is low for buyers who want to come in and completely remodel the average home that is on the market. Those buyers are usually looking for the homes that are listed well below market value. Those homes usually were not well maintained or updated for the times.

You can’t assume you know what the “right” buyer is looking for. This is why it is so important to show the entire home, not just the photos “you think” are important. You are just one type of demographic that is out there. If you do not fully list the home, you reduce your odds of reaching the “right” buyer. Let me help you sell the house by taking a “complete” set of photos for your listings.

602-809-7710, Michelle

Making your product stand out will be the key in the current market