Frustration is the buzz word amongst home seller these days. It takes a lot longer to sell a home and sometimes it does not sell at all. If it does sell, many sellers made concessions on price just to get it sold. What too many sellers don't know is that they do have some control, in fact, much more than they think. In a buyers market, you're probably asking how you as a seller can have control in this buyer centric market.
Before I answer that, let's first talk about the elements that you DON'T have control over. Location and Size of your home are elements outside of your control. You can't change it's location and you are probably not going to change the size. What IS in your control are price and condition. Pricing your house right gets you in the game, Staging is what gets you the offer.That's right, Staging used to mean selling quicker and for more money in the seller's market we were in. In a buyer's market, Staging takes on a new meaning. It means that you just may get it sold. Simply put. Staging is not an option. Period.
If you don't kow what Staging is I will describe it as the process of improving on the look and feel of your property and its exterior. From the appearance of the house from the curb, how it feels upon entering, how it smells once inside, and if it is visually appealing enough to make your buyers want to write an offer. What Staging IS NOT is renovating, redecorating, and Feng Shui. There may be a hint of the latter but that is not the focus.
As a Realtor and Accredited Staging Professional, I am always amazed at how such simple techniques can have such a huge psychological impact on a buyer. It is just too powerful to ignore and have witnessed it over and over. And you can often times Stage a property for free or for very little money. Suddenly it becomes a no-brainer.
One example of Staging is making your house move-in-ready. When I first started selling houses, I was amazed at how reluctant and even un-willing buyers were to do any painting at all. Not when I bought my first home that had ugly tile in the kitchen, wallpapered walls, wall-to-wall shag carpeting, and paneling. Everything needed to be done and that never bothered us nor those in my generation. That was expected. Fast forward to today's buyer and you will see a generation of people that want different things than we did. Immediate gratification is one of them.Today's buyer does not have the time, inclination, and many times the ability to fix up a house.
On the other side of the aisle are older sellers that are baby-boomers, they have lived in their home for 20-30 years and over that time have made extensive home imporvements. When they downsize to another property, doing that all over again is not an option. DOn't let yourself say that "this is too bad and I don't care if they don't like my house." These are fighting words and will guarantee that you won't get the sale. We're in a changing world and we need to shift with it or be shifted.
Now don't get me wrong. Staging is NOT remodeling. But it can minimize the work that needs to be done with cheap, inexpensive fixes so as to not overwhelm your buyer.
If you're confused, don't be. Just know that is works. A Staging professional can help you or even better yet, a Realtor who offers free Staging advice and services to get your house readied for selling.
My best advice is if you are riding out this market waiting for it to stabilize, I say use this time to your advantage to consult with a Stager and follow their advice. This way, you can do it in your own time without stress and time constraints. You will like the result so much that you may not want to move, it is that effective.
Elise Vetri is a Licensed Realtor with Keller Williams and Accredited Staging Professional offering free Staging consultation to listing clients.
You may contact her at elise@elisevetri.com or go to www.elisevetri.com