When it comes to real estate, most homeowners tend to focus on the technical aspects of selling their property. While details are important, it is vital to understand you are selling a dream.
One of the more infamous clichés is every scam is built on the idea of hope. Common sense tells you those Nigerians sending spam don’t have 20 million dollars in an account, but you probably hesitate because a small part of you hopes it is true. While this cliché is undeniably cynical, there is a lesson to be learned from it when it comes to selling your property.
When selling your property, it is essential to understand what buyers are purchasing. They are not purchasing a three-bedroom, two-level home with a two-car garage. They are not purchasing a big backyard or a nice neighborhood. Technically, they are, but this represents only a small bit of their thinking. In truth, they are purchasing something much bigger and more critical.
When house hunting, it is essential to understand buyers are purchasing a dream. They are not focusing on where they will sleep at night. When they see your property, they create a mental image of themselves living there. The image can include things ranging from how they would arrange furniture to envisioning kids playing in the yard, to mention only a few things. In essence, they are purchasing the hope of a great living experience.
When getting ready to put your home on the market, you must understand what the buyers are looking for in a property. Yes, walls and accessories are essential, but they buy a lifestyle. This means you need to accentuate the strong living points of your property.
Most people loosely refer to this as creating curb appeal. In truth, it goes beyond the mere appearance of the home. As many mistakenly do, you want to make the home seem livable, not austere. For instance, you should always be baking something that smells delicious when showing the property. For many buyers, this will translate the home from a piece of construction to a livable space and make it easier for them to imagine living there.
One of the best tactics I ever saw in this regard was a seller who whipped up a meal on the grill. He then invited the potential buyers to sit with him, eat and ask any questions they had. He started reciting all of the things that had happened with his family while living in the home. The buyers became much more comfortable with him and the home. They subsequently made an offer, and he accepted.
You probably do not want to be barbequing whenever someone comes to look at your property. That being said, you should focus on presenting your home as a clean but livable place where the buyer can imagine themselves living for the foreseeable future.