If you want to sell your house, think of it as a product. Prepare, package, and market it accordingly.
You have a product for sale.
Buyers have many houses to choose from.
If you want them to choose yours, you better have the the most appealing packaging. If buyers like what they see, they will buy what you are selling.
Before you list your house, it is important that you do your homework.
First question: Do you know who your buyer is? If you are going to successfully set the stage for your house to sell, you need to know who your target audience is. The features you highlight will be different for a family than for a single professional.
Know your buyer and prepare your house to appeal to that buyer.
If there is an elementary school in your neighborhood and young families currently living on your street, it stands to reason that your buyer will be a young couple with children or newlyweds planning to start a family. If your house has three bedrooms and you are using one for storage and one as an office, you need to prepare these two rooms as bedrooms in order to better appeal to your target buyers.
Take a step back and really look at your house. Look at your house from the buyer's standpoint and then offer them exactly what they are looking for.
- Create greater perceived value with fresh paint and new carpet.
- Create greater perceived space by removing half of what's in the closets.
- Arrange furniture to define space and function.
- Remove all personal items that make it your home.
- Clean from top to bottom
- Highlight the features that would be appealing to your target buyer.
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Sharon, this is so true. Sellers are, in fact, marketing a product. I love that you used the term "packaging". That is what sellers need to do...package their product so it will appeal to the most amount of buyers.
Hi Sharon,
I like your tip to step back and look through a buyers eyes. It's really hard for some sellers to do this, which is why you do what you do. Packaging a home is a skill that is hard for some people to grasp. :)
-Lisa
Sharon - Most people are so emotionally attached to their stuff, that they don't realize that some of it might be unappealing to the "buyers eyes." Taking that step back is not always an easy task, they sometimes need the guidance of a professional. This is great advice from a home staging pro!
Tammie: So many sellers think buyers will see past their living space and imagine making it their own... they are giving buyers too much credit!
Lisa: So true, it is hard for many sellers to do. Good thing, too, or us stagers wouldn't have a job!
Judy: "Emotionally attached" is exactly what they are. A professional eye is a wise investment!
Sharon, great post. Your first question is SO important. I think people get so caught up in how great they think their property is, they forget who will be looking at it. Neighborhoods change and people need to keep up with the trends to effectively market their homes.
Ana
Great post-I flagged it. Market accordingly and appealing to right buyer is our job-the pros do it so well when teamed with the good Realtors and wise homeowners.
Very important to understand demographics Sharon! It's a basic marketing principle, know who your market is.
Ana: That is so true about neighborhoods changing. Most sellers don't give that a thought!
Cathy: Good realtor, wise homeowner, and professional stager: a winning team!
Karen: It all boils down to marketing! Thanks!
Sharon- very good post. The seller can use the knowledge of the Realtor to learn who's buying in their area and what the hot buttons are. Then they can use the basics of Home Staging (marketing) or better yet, call one of us, to get the job done.
Kathy: It takes a village to sell a house!
Sharon,
You are right on with this post! As a seller their emotions need to be taken out so it makes room for the buyer to develop their own in the space. And know who you buyer is is so important.
Anthea: Thanks for commenting, I appreciate it!
Great advice Sharon,
Knowing the home's target buyer seems to be an often overlooked aspect of selling, yet it's critical to a successful sale.
Your 'step back' tips are spot on.
Congratulations on the feature!
Donna
Hi, Sharon. I would have flagged this post, too, if I'd seen it yesterday. Can you get a gold star posthumously? Probably not.
Anyway...what a good post. And, as usual, great graphic. It reallys says it all.
Great post with simple logic. Show the rooms for what they are supposed to be. Let the buyers decide if they want to use them that way or another way.
Great topic, I'll bet sellers don't think about all of these points that must be done before putting the house on the market.
Great concise post Sharon. I use those exact words when talking to my clients!!!
Staging is a marketing tool -- what a great post this is to spell it all out clearly!
Donna: Thank you, I appreciate it!
Leslie: Thanks, but let's not make me sound dead!
Virginia: Simple logic is best! Hopefully the information will help some sellers who weren't aware. Thanks.
Cindy: And even those who do put a lot of thought into their preparation, just don't fully understand how to best prepare the house.
Cynthia: I would expect no less from you! lol!
Karen: Thank you! I do consider myself a marketing tool!
Selling a house is like selling any other product, you want to make it appealing to attract potential buyers! Unfortunately, some sellers and realtors don't have the creative eye that it takes to market a home properly.
Suzanne: Agreed! Thanks for commenting.