Home Staging Tip: 7 Ways To Be The Perfect Seller, So Your House Is The One That Sells!
If you’re selling a home in a buyer’s market, the odds are not in your favor. There has to be an “all hands on deck” approach, which means that instead of handing it over to your real estate agent, you should support him. Be the perfect seller and you will find that they will work that much harder for you and sell your home. What is the point after all. (What gives me street cred to present this information? More than an experienced scenario, I sold my own home in January 2009 when there was only one buyer. I’ve lived it and I know exactly what this will be like for you. Follow these guidelines, and you’ll reap the same rewards: a really nice buyer, who paid a fair price, and gave us good terms at closing.)
1. Mimic the photos
You dressed each room for the photographer. Buyers selected your home as one they wanted to view based on the photos. Don’t let them down; make sure the house still looks the same. (with the exception of seasonal decorations, such as flowers in the garden and pots outside).
2. ALWAYS be ready for exhibits
I know what it’s like to live in “show to sell” or “hotel ready” condition as one of my real estate agent friends says. It’s a discipline, but it’s so much easier than having to pick up the place while turning on all the lights, madly spraying Fabreze as shoppers walk up the driveway. Another tip here: arrange a “drill” in your family: who does upstairs, basement, etc. Always light and spray in the same order so it becomes second nature.
3. Keep up with the seasons
Remember to remove a holiday as soon as it’s over, even if it’s just Valentine’s Day or Easter. You don’t want to look like you’ve been sitting on the market waiting for a buyer forever!
4. Create a service guide
The Buyer will need this eventually, and start putting it in the right framework to be helpful and do business with them in the nicest way possible. Gather all appliance manuals, service contracts, names of people who know your plumbing, electrical panel, etc. Then add favorite restaurants, lower priced/better value dry cleaners, wine spots, specialty foods, baked goods…just like a hotel does. It creates a warm welcome in a hotel room and suggests fun, comfort and ease of living, all of which you want your buyer to feel in order to choose YOUR home.
5. Tell everyone you know to tell everyone they know – Facebook
More than 85% of buyers begin their search for a new home online.
“If you want to catch a fish, go where the fish are.”
6. Tell the story on content sites
Your real estate agent will have the listing online on the various sites you create your business on. These typically include Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, Edgeio, Vast, and CraigsList. There they can put 10 – 15 photos and limited information. But you can tell a bigger and more complete story. Content sites like Squidoo, HubPages, Tumblr… even Facebook fan pages… allow for paragraphs, personal perspectives, links, and a much fuller story about the house and neighborhood. Check with your real estate agent before listing anything to make sure everyone is “on the same page”! They will pick up any silent signals that you may not be aware of, in terms of tradability.
7. Know the Market
Educate yourself about the tradeoffs, know their value and be realistic, really listen when the offers come in. Try not to be stubborn, insulted, or personally offended. Try to enable the deal with the best interests of the buyers in mind. Good karma comes back to you every time.