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What's Being Whispered Behind Your Back?

By
Home Stager with Creative Eye Home Staging

What's Being Whispered Behind Your Back?

WORK:  Who Needs It?!!

When  prospective buyers view a property for sale, the two things that they don't want to be reminded of are WORK and POTENTIAL PROBLEMS!!!

Remember to be careful of the subconscious messages you are sending to buyers while they are viewing your listing.  I have observed all of the following in recent listings. They are sending messages you don't want the buyer to hear! 

    floor fan

These are attractive floor fans, BUT what the buyers hear whispered in their ear:   "Hmmm. . . the air conditioning system isn't doing its job."

ceramic heater

Floor heaters send a similar message:  "It must be cold in the winter.  I'll need additional heaters and the utility bills are going to be high!"

humidifier

Humidifiers: "Well, I guess they haven't installed one on the heating and air conditioning system.  No telling how much that will cost!"

door not shutting properly                     

Doors that stick:  "Oh, no!  I just went through that in the house I'm in now."

toilet plunger

Toilet plungers:  "Plumbing problems?  I'm definitely NOT dealing with that!"

white trash can full of trash                                    three styles of toilet brush                                             

Speaking a bit softer, but still whispering are full trash cans, and toilet brushes.  All remind the prospect of work to be done.

When you are marketing your property, be sure it speaks positively about you.  Create a crisp, clean, serene and welcoming environment.  A Home Staging Professional can help you see things you may have missed.  Take advantage of their suggestions and ideas.

 

Written by:  Kim Dillon, Creative Eye Home Staging.  We serve parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland.

Comments (18)

Charlie Ragonesi
AllMountainRealty.com - Big Canoe, GA
Homes - Big Canoe, Jasper, North Georgia Pros

In this market your blog is 100 percent correct. Buyers may not like the color of the wall trim and walk out. Work is a bad 4 letter word unless the price is really below market

Nov 22, 2009 12:57 AM
Heather Fitzgerald
REALTY WORLD-Harbert Company, Inc. - Greenwood, IN
REALTOR Greenwood Indiana Real Estate

Kim, great tips that aren't thought of at times.  Thanks!

Nov 22, 2009 01:01 AM
Rob D. Shepherd
RETIRED - Florence, OR
RETIRED

A big no no with me is over doing the foo foo air freshener. My thoughts are, What are we hiding here?

Nov 22, 2009 01:06 AM
Rosina Woolston
RE/MAX at Jennersville - Oxford, PA

Whisper?  I think that toilet plunger is shouting!  Good tips!

Nov 22, 2009 01:08 AM
Allegra Dioguardi
Styled and Sold Home Staging and Staging Training - Westhampton Beach, NY
Home Staging & Training, Suffolk Co. Long Island

Very, very true! I used to do model homes for Toll Bros. and one of their rules was to never show any work in their models. They actually had a list of what was construed work and what wasn't. For instance; laundry was work but baking cookies and gardening is not.

A new home should convey a comfortable stress free happy environment. We are selling lifestyle!

Nov 22, 2009 01:16 AM
Jill Schmidt
Aurora, CO

What a unique way to talk to sellers about staging.  Thanks for the point of view.

Nov 22, 2009 02:09 AM
Jody Deeds
Key Realty, LTD - Columbus, OH
"Helping You Move On With Your Plans"

Great reminders.  Air fresheners and candles are usually a big no no, yet many still place them all over the house. 

Nov 22, 2009 02:33 AM
Jane Ann Lance, ASPM, IAHSP, WCR
Mobile, AL

All good comments.  I would also add Raid and other pest products, especially mouse traps!  Buyers will open cabinets and it will send a subtle message that if you buy this house, you will be inheriting bug and critter problems.

Nov 22, 2009 04:57 AM
Walter Grewe III
Long and Foster Realtors - Roanoke, VA
Realtor, SFR, A-REO, Roanoke Homes and Real Estate

We actually provide our sellers with a checklist of things that need to be done before each showing and impress upon them the importance of having the home prepared for showings. We do not accompany buyer agents and their clients, but we make sure that our listing clients knowe that competition for their home is very heavy and they need to make the best of every showing.

Nov 22, 2009 05:08 AM
Barbara Jennings
Academy of Staging and Redesign - Huntington Beach, CA
Decorate-Redecorate.Com

What a great post.  The unspoken reactions that take place may never even reach an agent's or seller's ears.  But a stager should definitely be aware and avoid such potentials whenever possible.

Nov 22, 2009 07:54 AM
Susan Emo
Sotheby's International Realty Canada - Brokerage - Kingston, ON
Kingston and the 1000 Islands Area

Kim -  thanks for compiling a great list for our Sellers.  I'm going to re-blog it for my readers to benefit from!

Nov 22, 2009 08:04 AM
Susan Laxson CRS
Palm Properties - La Quinta, CA
Realtor in San Diego, CA & Naples, FL

This is a great post for sellers who may not know what the buyers will think when they are viewing their home and see these items.  Thanks for sharing!

Nov 22, 2009 08:08 AM
Kate Talarico
Kates Home Staging and Interior Design - Goshen, NY
RESA, Top Orange County Home Decorator & Stager

Great list, I just had one of my staging clients remove a plug in heater from a spare bedroom.  The heating system in the home was brand new, but the plug in heater would give a potential buyer the message that the current heating system was inadequate.  A home stager's job is never done :-)

Nov 22, 2009 10:04 AM
Monica Stanciu
Staged 2 Sell Solutions Inc. - Markham, ON
Staged 2 Sell Solutions, Markham, ON

What a great post and comments alike! Thanks for sharing!

Nov 22, 2009 10:06 AM
Cindy Bryant
Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX
"Houston Home Staging Pros"

And speaking of the pests, those stick up roach traps all over the cabinets is also not a good sign.

Nov 22, 2009 07:15 PM
Kim Dillon
Creative Eye Home Staging - West Chester, PA

Charlie--You are right.  No one wants to be reminded of work!

Heather, Jill & Monica--Thanks!  It's amazing how often these details are missed.

Rob--I agree; air fresheners can be overpowering.  A fresh, clean scent is best.

Rosina--Right on!  I wish I never had to see a plunger!

Allegra--Funny how work means different things to different people.  Gardening and baking are true pleasures for some, but I don't know anyone who enjoys cleaning toilets!

Jane & Cindy--How did I forget those?!!!  I saw mouse traps recently too!  EEK!

Walter--A great plan.  Just be sure an outside eye takes a final look.  Easy to miss what you see every day.

Barbara--I'm afraid most objections don't reach the Realtor's or seller's ears; otherwise, those things that could would be corrected.  Thank you.

Susan--Thanks for re-blogging.  I hope it benefits your readers.

Laxson--Yes, it's hard for a seller to think of everything on their own.

Kate--Exactly!  Sometimes it's suggesting a problem that doesn't even exist!

 

Nov 22, 2009 11:41 PM
Roberta Anderson
Hearth & Home Staging - Silverdale, WA
Hearth & Home Staging, Staging Kitsap County

Kim, excellent post! When someone has gone to all the work preparing their own home for the market, their ears are tuned in to those whispers!

Nov 23, 2009 01:31 PM
melody salazar
Salazar Staging & Custom Interiors - New Braunfels, TX

Little things can have a big voice.  I met with a client yesterday who asked if I could put a rug over his broken tile.  I told him that would send up a flag so fast - if buyers notice neglect on the things they can see (and even one broken tile sticking out), they imagine the worst about what they can't see.  It's all subliminal and lightening fast.  Impressions can be altered with something as small as a burned out light bulb!  I hope more sellers and agents begin to realize that stagers, for the most part, don't miss a thing.

Great post,

Mel

Nov 24, 2009 10:01 AM