Repeat after me: Spring is almost here. Spring is almost here. Spring is ALMOST HERE!
And something that happens in the spring is that a lot of people consider putting their house on the market. Are you one of them?
So, over the years, as I have helped people with their houses, and staged homes so that my clients can list their houses with confidence–what are the mistakes I commonly see people make that could potentially cost them thousands of dollars when they go to sell?
Hmmmmm….let’s expose these stinkers, and make you some money:
Mistake #1. Relying on your buyer to have an imagination. Buyers typically reach for their checkbook when they see what they have been looking for clearly in front of them. For example, your house has an in-law suite, but currently that space houses your workout equipment. Even if your listing states it has an in-law suite (something your buyer wants), if it isn’t set up so they can SEE that it does, they will walk right on through disappointed…and NOT make an offer. I’m not even kidding. You can see an example of this here.
Mistake #2. Living as you always have in the house. Once you have decided to sell your house, the best mindset to have is that it is no longer yours. Personal touches and taste-specific decor are not your friends at this time, because as we have already established, your buyer is not exceptionally imaginative. They won’t be able to picture themselves and their belongings in the house if all of your leopard print fabric and velvet Elvis paintings are screaming at them, drawing their attention away from how they would live in the house, and from what you want–for them to BUY.
Mistake #3. Living as you always have in the house. YES I KNOW I SAID THAT BEFORE, but, this is pertaining to the STUFF of daily life…like clutter and dust. Very few of us live in houses that are “q-tip clean” and perfectly picked up day-in and day-out. Did I mention that your buyer doesn’t have an imagination? I think I did. And seeing past dirt in corners and crap on counters is therefore not their strong suit.
To illustrate this, I like to use the analogy of a box of Band-Aids….
You are given two options for buying a box of bandages: The first is a well-lit, clean aisle at Target. Lots of happy boxes lined up on the shiny shelves with clear, bright labels…
The second option is a dark back corner of a roadside store you find along the highway. There is just one or two sad, lonely packages there at the back of the shelf. They are slightly dented and a bit dusty–perhaps they have been sitting there a while…
Remember, these boxes contain the SAME Band-Aids! However, which one would you want to buy? And which one would you GLADLY pay MORE for??
Just sayin’ 🙂
So, keep it clean, clutter-free, and obvious to all who enter that your house is the best house on the block…and watch it fly off the “shelves” at an awesome, profitable price.
If you would like to learn more of the best tips and tricks to selling your house quickly and for a profit, make sure you register for our workshop coming up March 5th!!
