Lights! Camera! Action! The first step Before you list your house!
In a series of posts I wrote last year on Preparing Your Home for Sale in Palm Beach County- What to do Before you list your house. I talked about the importance of viewing your home as a commodity to be marketed.
One of the steps I suggested was to take photos of your house: the exterior (front and back) , front entry, and every room. Stand in the entry and take a photo of the first thing a buyer will see. Stand at the door to every room and take a photo. I also take a photo from every corner of a room.
Next, upload these photos to your computer, then sit down and take a good look.
Like what you see? This is the first view of what a potential buyer will see of your house. Did you know that 87%+ of home buyers begin their search on the Internet? The photos of your house will either grab the attention of a buyer, or not.
If your photos are: few or limited to exterior shots of the house or your community entry; or just don't show a very appealing house then chances are the buyer will "click" to the next listing. That means No Showing Appointment!
No showings = No sale.
At a recent consultation , I'd given the Seller a "To Do" list of my suggestions. There were some items, though, that I knew she was going to shoot down. The clue was when she said "No way am I spending any money on carpeting or paint!" Because of her circumstances, I opted not to press her on this while I was there. And, if I could get her to take on some of the items I suggested, then that might have to do.
However, (and this is where my "ah-ha" moment came in), after uploading and viewing the photos of her home, I did not like what I saw. I knew that my job as a Professional Home Stager was to help her make her home as marketable and competitive as I could.
The next day I called her and I told her that after viewing online the photos of her house that I'd taken, I needed her to make a few more changes. I explained that what I saw was what the buyers would see as well. She got the message!
Take a look:
This was the first room a buyer saw after entering the house and you could see a stain on the carpet. Because she has 3 long haired cats I also felt that a new carpet and pad would help with any odors.
There was still work do do with her cats etc. but painting over the symbol removed some of the distraction in the room.
When selling your home, see it as others will. Grab your camera and start shooting!
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