Mary Douglas, Colorado Realtor, has a very humorous approach to helping sellers understand the importance of proper home preparation. Dressing for success is not just for professionals, it also applies to your house for sale.
I'll admit I love my flannel jammie pants, they are very comfy; but when I'm going out, they certainly stay at home and I am dressed.
Yesterday, when I went grocery shopping, I was amazed at how many people wear their flannel jammie pants to the store!
There were jammie pants people in the cereal aisle and jammie pants in produce, in fact I probably saw 5 or 6 pair on my shopping excursion and the store was not that crowded.
There are two ways to look at this: "It's terrible, people should really learn to dress for success and look their best no matter where they are going" or the alternative: "Just be who you really are."
In real estate, sellers who are doing their very best to keep their housekeeping up and have their homes in show ready condition at a moments notice are dressed for success.
Sellers who cannot or will not do this are like jammie pants people - they just want the buyer to accept their house for who/what "it really is."
Jammie Pants People, if your home is on the market, you need to dress it for success, price it right and do your part to present it to buyers in the very best light.
I know it's not easy and it requires a lot more effort and time, but in the long run it will be worth it. Just like jammie pants don't impress me in the grocery store, that same attitude won't impress a buyer seeing your house today. I'm only telling you this to help you sell your home.
As for the grocery store, it's a free country!
Really, who am I to judge?
In my opinion there is no excuse to wear your flannel jammies to the store unless it's midnight and the baby is out of formula.
But then again, maybe I'm just jealous because I left my jammie pants at home.
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Mary Douglas, your Mountain Broker-Associate and REALTOR®
United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, CO
www.redfeatherlakes.com ---800-531-2195
"A Day in the Mountains will always soothe your city soul"
The information contained in Mary's blog is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed, and the opinions and views expressed in these articles are solely those of the author.
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avoid foreclosure: call the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline 1-877-601-HOPE
HOTLINE WEBSITE: ColoradoForeclosureHotline.org
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Sharon, thanks for the post.... Great analogy!.. I wonder if my sellers would get it?
Wayne & Lynda: You are welcome. I really liked it and wanted to pass it on.
Sharon, it would be a hoot to show up to a listing presentation in Jammies to get the point across, I don't know if I have the nerve to do it, but it would be a great ice breaker and lesson, and you could be sure the clients would remember your presentation, Hmmm maybe I will
Thanks for sharing this Sharon -- definitely a great analogy!
Sharon, this is a great analogy and a creative way to show a seller where there fashion sense can lead them to a very wrong direction...when it comes to staging a house. Sunday best...not comfortable Saturday cartoons.
Gerry: Oh please, please, pretty please do! Make sure you get some pictures to share with your friends here when you do! I know stagers who have dressed kind of dated and shabby for presentations and then done a makeover with more professional clothing to illustrate their point. You just might have a good idea there!
Nancy: I agree, Mary makes an excellent analogy for sellers.
Steve: I've been babysitting my grandsons and rediscovering comfortable sweats and the Disney Channel. As comfortable as they are, I wouldn't dream of wearing sweats to a home staging consultation. I think most people can relate to and understand the clothing analogy.
Sharon- thanks for sharing this. Another post I would have missed and so funny. Here in South Florida, it's not unusual to see people walking around with oversized tank tops over their bathing suits . Let's hope we get at least one photo of someone in Jammi pants making a presentation.
Hi Sharon, Thank you so much for the Re-Blog. I'm really glad you liked the post. You know, Gerry has a great idea! I think it would make a wonderful point . He's going to have to be the one to try it, I know I never could! LOL
Sharon
I've seen people wearing them in Florida, I thing that they should stay home.
Good luck and success.
Lou Ludwig
Kathy: Wouldn't it be great if someone were brave enough to try Gerry's idea? Fingers crossed!
Mary: See what you started? We are all cheering Gerry on and hoping he or someone else will give it a try.
Lou: I agree! They should stay home. I think only teenagers can actually look cute and get away with it sometimes.
Great analogy!
(I cringe when I see jammie pants anywhere in public!)
LOL The farthest I go in my flannel jammies is down the driveway with garbage can on pick up day,which is early in the morning.
I don't think anyone should be at the grocery store or anywhere outside of their home in their jammies. Come on people, a little self respect please.
I see people in jammies all the time, I think it's because we live so close to the water and marinas, so it's pretty casual. But when I see bonafide house slippers and curlers in the hair, that's a bit much. I'll wear sweats to buy groceries, but no jammies out in public!
Lisa: I think young girls look kind of cute in them and they can get away with it, if they just look like flannel pants and aren't obviously pjs.
Sharon: I have been down the driveway in my pjs on trash day a few times also!
Cindy: I haven't seen curlers lately...it was common back in the 60's...I have photos of my mother in public with her curlers.
Sharon, I saw a lady yesterday at the post office in Zebra jamie pants, not a get figure either, yikes takes some nerve is what I thought.
Mary: It may not have been nerve, it may have been just plain laziness!
Sharon, Very cute reblog and a very good analogy for home staging. Usually when someone thinks , I won't see anyone, You always do :.)
As for staging, that person that saw your house in it's jammies, was suppose to be the buyer. yikes! Lost that sale...
Leslie: Isn't that the truth..."Hope I don't see anyone I know" pretty much guarantees you are going to see someone you know!
Oh, this is so perfect! I'm going to comment on the original blog, and I would love to use that analogy with clients. It's a great reblog.
Cathy: I will be using the analogy the next time I have a client who is not quite hearing me!
Sharon-I had not seen this and NO I am not a jammie pants person. At home maybe but I wouldn't dare go out like that. I think that is a great analogy for Real Estate!
Debra: It's just visual enough that sellers could get it!
Too Funny...my daughter and I were just discussing this "pajama & slippers" phenomenon yesterday.
Great Analogy!
Hi Sharon this was good re-blog! I think Mary might create a jammie and stiletto craze now!
Valerie: I haven't seen anyone out in public in their slippers...I am really missing something!
Cynthia: It would not surprise me!