Thursday, October 30, 2008

Rule #1 - It’s Not Your Home Anymore!


Contribution from Linsey Planeta, Broker & Real Estate Coach
Belterra Fine Homes - Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Phone: 949.939.2514 / linsey@ocrealestatevoice.com


If you are getting ready to sell, or you’ve already tried without success, it’s time to look at your home with fresh eyes. Better yet, not your eyes at all.
As soon as you decide to sell your home, you must change the way you view it.
It is no longer just the place you live. Your home has become a commodity that you are trying to sell quickly and for the highest amount that the market will bear.

I can hear some of you already, ‘But I have to live here and feel at home in the meantime‘ or ‘Everyone already says that my home shows beautifully.’


I know, I know. Trust me. I get it and I’ve heard it but believe me when I tell you, it’s the seller that says, ‘Tell me what I need to do‘ that will meet with success.

So what do you need to do?

Step 1: Stop going to your friends for advice. People often hang with people that have similar taste. That doesn’t mean you and your friends necessarily have the taste that will appeal to the broadest spectrum of buyers.

Step 2: Pay Attention to An Agent's Advice. They are working with consumers every day. They know what turns a buyer off and what is most appealing. Caution - we wary of the agent that says that it’s all just great and they wouldn’t change a thing.

Step 3: Change Your Mindset. If you are looking for your home to sell, understand the market conditions, competing properties and the inventory. You vying for buyer attention. You must be willing to let go of the personal things!

Step 4: Do the Work. Whether it means painting, removing wallpaper, cleaning up the clutter or removing bulky furniture, get to it. As soon as you start having a mental argument with your agent about the necessity of ripping down this expensive, decorator wallpaper - stop yourself and remember that you won’t be living here shortly anyway. Appeal to the greatest number of buyers - this is the goal!

Step 5: Hire A Professional. The best results and return on investment are from a full staging company, but if cash is not available hire them for a consultation. You are trying to create the emotional appeal that makes a buyer feel a sense of urgency about writing an offer. This is what a good stager is best at and this is what you are hiring them for.

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