Sellers...Don't Take It Personally

Our homes are deeply personal.  They say a lot about the people who live there.  A good portion of the things that a homeowner loves are inside those walls. However, what homeowners love and what potential buyers love do not always match.  That is where an honest Realtor can help bridge the gap between your definition of beautiful and the general population’s. 

Personal story:  When I was trying to sell my Westchase house in 2006, I had mossy green paint on the walls of my formal living & dining room.  I thought it was lovely at the time.  When you walked into my house it was like swimming in a giant bowl of pea soup.  After multiple showings it was suggested that I have a stager come in and help me make sure it was perfect.  That was code for, “your living room & dining room need repainted… the stager is going to break it to you.”  It was suggested that I repaint which I adamantly refused to do because I didn’t think it was a deal breaker for buyers.  After 50 showings the house was finally sold and I have never painted anything green again.  I do not need to wonder whether my house would have sold faster had those rooms not been pea soup green—I know for certain that my pride caused me much more stress than what was necessary and probably lost me a lot of money. 

As a Realtor who advises sellers all the time on how to prepare their homes for sale, I remember the way I felt when the stager was making suggestions.  It hurts the pride to hear that your home might not be universally appealing.  But, bruised pride is quickly healed with high offers.  To get high offers, you have to be properly prepped for sale! 

It has been a while since I have had a first date, but if I remember correctly, I never thought:  “Hmm, I am going to wear these ill-fitting jeans on date #1 and save these perfect fitting ones for date #3.”   Now, apply that same rule to selling your house.  As a seller you are trying to get the buyer more interested from the moment they walk through the door…not less. 

My pea soup paint was the equivalent of showing up in faded mom jeans for a first date. 

We all know how important the first few weeks are in a listing.  From Day #1 on the MLS you need to have your best foot forward.  Don’t let several weeks pass in your listing before changing minor items that might be turning off buyers.  Getting a second chance with buyers can be hard.  Chances are, they will find a house that they connect with more immediately and never look back.

So, sellers, I hope you can learn from my mistakes.  Think of your Realtor/Stager as the honest friend who will tell you how you really look in those jeans.  The intentions of all 3 are to make sure you get the best possible results!

Need some suggestions on how to properly prepare your house for sale?  Call or email Melanie Atkinson, Realtor, The Wood Team, Coldwell Banker at 813-368-6084 or Melanie.atkinson@floridamoves.com                

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