#2 Get Ready to See your House through the Eyes of a Buyer.
We live in our HOME; we sell a house. Before you can Stage your Home, you'll need to see it as others see it. All of us have a certain comfort level in our homes. At the end of the day, it's where we look forward to going; it's where we can kick off our shoes and leave our worries and hassles of the day at the front door. We make it our haven; our HOME. We spent hours choosing that perfect shade of Periwinkle for our bedroom; we had a custom mural done for our child's room. But we're all different and what works for you; how you live in your home may not work for others.
Two things you can do to help you see Your House as others will see it:
1. Begin by taking pictures of your house. Start at the curb and take a picture of the front of the house; think of the view your buyer will see when they drive by. Next stop, your front door. Take a snapshot there of the first thing your buyer sees as they approach your house. Now, as soon as you enter, take another photo. You'll want to do this for every room in your house. Let your camera be the eyes of your Buyer. Stand at each door and take a picture from there- that's the first view your buyer will see. If it's a larger room, take shots from different angles. Open your closets, too! Why? Because believe me, your Buyers will. Next stop, your back deck, yard, or patio area, and don't forget the garage.
Once you've taken your shots, download them to your computer. If you need help with this, get your child, neighbor, friend, whomever to show you how. (it's easy!)
You're probably asking why is taking pictures and placing them on the computer so important? Recent studies have shown that at least 85% of Buyers will begin their search for a home on the Internet. If your house doesn't "show well" in photos placed on the MLS or other marketing instruments your Realtor will use, then it may not make it on a Buyers "Must See" list. Looking at your house through a camera lens gives it a different perspective.
Which picture appeals to you:
The photo on the left shows a comfortable, lived in family room; on the right we see much the same but because we've removed the clutter our eyes can now focus on the space available and the great views that can be seen from the windows. There's even a large bookcase at the end of the room that was hidden before.
2. Bribe a friend, relative, or neighbor with cookies, a cake, dinner, whatever and beg them to give you their honest opinion about your house. Show them the photos you took. (You thought you'd skip step #1 and just move on to step #2 didn't you?) Have them view your house as if they were considering buying it. Tell them this may be their one chance to tell you how much they've always disliked the windmill in your dining room . ( I really did have a client with a windmill in her dining room!) Remember the first step in this Series, start viewing your house as a Product to be merchandised. You have to be objective in this step.
REMEMBER:
1. BEGIN TO THINK OF YOUR HOME AS A PRODUCT TO BE MARKETED.
2. START TO SEE THIS "PRODUCT" AS YOUR BUYER WILL SEE IT
ROOM SERVICE! HOME STAGING
561-914-6224
www.MrsHomeStaging.com
Kathy@MrsHomestaging.com
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I love this! Maybe if more people took this step and photographed and reviewed the photographs they would see just how much work their house needs. Sometimes it takes more than just walking through the house...seeing pictures could make all the difference. Great advice and great post!