Sellers, Stage Your Home, Please

I love the commercial where the guy is making a move on a girl and she blows him off and the play-by-play guys at the other end of the bar see it and say, “Re-jected!”  When buyers I am working with write an offer that doesn’t fly, or sellers say no to an offer, I always think, “Re-jected!”  Of course, I don’t say it to the clients, regardless of how close I am to them.  No one likes a wise-acre realtor!

But, what they do like, and what ensures lack of re-jection! is a nicely staged home. 

I showed a house this weekend to a couple from out of town.  The downstairs was great, the backyard was phenomenal!  Upstairs we trekked, hoping that the upper level would live up to the promise of the lower level. 

Alas, it was not to be.

The primary bedroom closet was somewhat small, and was made smaller-looking by the messy tangle of sweaters and items on the built-in shelves.  I peeked in, and thought, “That might be a problem,” but kept my opinion to myself.

The buyers took a look and said nothing, either positive or negative.  We walked into an auxiliary bedroom and saw that it was being used as a closet — i.e., the closet of the room, and then the room itself were both being used as a closet.  I couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across my face.  Then the wife said, “Now I have to go back and look at the primary closet,” which she did.  Of course, the house took a nose dive in perceived value when the buyers saw there was not much closet space. 

Here’s the thing…there is a lot of closet space, but the current owners’ set up makes it appear as if there isn’t. 

I spoke with the listing agent later in the day.  Her sellers have it set up that way because when they bought the house, the wife felt there was too little closet space, and so she took over the extra bedroom.  The people who live in a house know its secrets…the good and the bad.  Duh! 

What’s rule number one when selling ANYTHING!!??  Show it in its best light.  Why tip off a potential buyer to what’s negative on their very first visit!? You ensure there won’t be a second visit with that kind of game plan.

Stage your home, please. Or at the very least, think about what you don’t like about your house, and hide it.  Don’t be re-jected! when it is so easy to be accepted!