Selling your home? Tell a story.

A Realtor who kindly mentored me once told me that when I was writing about a listing, "Tell a story." I didn't get exactly what he meant until I started keeping up with what he was writing about his listings.

Home Seller's Journal

Now, I give my Sellers a questionnaire of sorts to fill out. What do you like most about your home? What will you miss most? What are your best memories here?

You would be surprised what Sellers write, and they do write from their hearts. I can write all day long about the hardwood floors, high ceilings and updated electrical. But, I don't know your house like you do.

Yes, Buyers will enjoy reading that your family picks 3 bushels of pecans from your pecan trees each spring or that a certain type of bird that you can see from your back patio visits each May. They'll enjoy knowing that family meetings were held in the kitchen where you could snack and debate and seat everyone involved. Out of state buyers will be relieved to know where you go when under a tornado watch.

Selling your home? Tell a story.

I also include information the new home owners will need such as which days the trash and recycle are picked up and where to vote, where the school bus stops and where the neighborhood association meets.

I think ONE key of attracting home buyers is making them feel welcome -- letting them SEE themselves living there, making memories similar to those you've enjoyed.

So, don't be afraid to get personal. Tell a story about your home for sale and your fond memories there.

Lori is a residential Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors serving the greater Tulsa area, and specializing in midtown Tulsa real estate. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.

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Please visit my web site if you are shopping for Tulsa homes for sale in Midtown Tulsa OK or call 918-852-5036 if you need more information about Midtown Tulsa Real Estate.

In addition to my advanced grasp of the internet to market your Tulsa home for sale, I include a home staging consultation with every listing AND professional photography - at no aditional cost to you!

While you're at my web site, please sign up for my monthly e-newsletter to receive a complimentary calendar of events for activities in the midtown Tulsa area!

Lori is a residential Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors serving the greater Tulsa area and specializing in downtown Tulsa and midtown Tulsa real estate.

 

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71 Comments on Selling your home? Tell a story.

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

JUL
01
2010
420,205 Points 22 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Several people have asked how this is communicated to potential buyers.

Our MLS description is limited to x number of characters. So, I include this verbiage in postlets, which is syndicated. I include it in flyers, and I also include it in my Listing Presentation Book (see linked blog post). I also include it in a personal domain (123MainStreet.com) and any other venue that doesn't limit my characters - such as a blog post on AR. Hope this helps.

Thank you for your lovely comments!
11:32pm • #53
JUL
02
2010
339,597 Points 16 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

I've been doing this for years and sellers usually love doing it.  I always tell them it helps buyers picture themselves living there.  The things owners love about their home and neighborhood resonate with buyers and make it more personal.
12:16am • #54
848,928 Points 71 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Lori, What a great idea. I typically go for the nuts and bolts of the home … repairs done, upgrades, utility costs, etc. Adding the personal touch … telling stories about the pool parties or how many children were raised in the home give is more “life.”
12:19am • #55
1,351,812 Points 42 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

I think there are a lot of great ideas that can come out of this concept.  I have a few things to contemplate from this.  Thank you.
1:53am • #56
874,487 Points 154 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Lori, wonderful idea, I agree telling a story in your listings is great. It humanizes the process to the buyers, real people lived and worked and loved here.
7:24am • #57
596,136 Points 70 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Lori - What a great post.  As a mortgage gal, I don't read listings all day long like you Realtors but knowing about a property would certainly appeal to me if I were a buyer.
2:27pm • #58
JUL
04
2010
388,883 Points 21 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Great idea, and if you want to know my story from my 2 houses see my blogs, "My house went through airport customs", and "Romeo, Romeo, where art thou?". Thanks for your blog!
1:09pm • #59
379,000 Points 5 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Lori, 

Love this suggestion!  I try to share as much as I can figure out, but great questions to ask the sellers to get even more info to share!

I'm off to tell a story:-)

All the best, Michelle
2:45pm • #60
JUL
05
2010
166,209 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Lori - this is brilliant and what a big help to those of us that blog about our listings!!! It get boring writing about stainless steel appliances and granite countertops :)

Thanks,

Betsy
6:54am • #61
421,110 Points 12 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Great ideas for helping see beyond the building. Thanks for the post.
9:18am • #62
115,916 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

That is a great idea -  often times that is what will sway a buyer towards a home that is filled with good karma.
10:00am • #63
305,993 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Lori - We do a "Top Ten Favorite Things about Your Home" to share with potential buyers.  You are so right about the seller being the best marketer for the home.
10:18am • #64
1 Featured Post Outside Blog

So true. I have a new listing where part of their story is their beautiful new kitchen cabinets were custom built from trees on their own property!
10:41am • #65
556,363 Points 11 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Hi Lori -- Such sage advice.  I once took a CRS class that showed a real-life example of a single-property website that told a LONG story so incredibly well that by the end of the story that all the students had read up on the big screen, we were all clamoring for that property.
11:56am • #66
3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp

Best idea of the day! Give yourself a gold star. Thanks very much!
1:49pm • #67
626,633 Points 16 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

What a neat idea, Lori! It makes perfect sense for the seller to provide the unique insight that would make a house a home, and it is a way to directly involve the seller with the marketing of their property.
3:57pm • #68
420,205 Points 22 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Thank you all for your lovely responses!  I hope it helps SELL your listings!!
11:58pm • #69
JUL
07
2010
492,232 Points 8 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Lori, Such a wonderful idea.  Thanks to you and your mentor for another great tool!  Enjoy your summer.  Gloria
9:31am • #70
JUL
08
2010

Lori, I was hunting thru older blogs for some ideas and came across yours. I usually ask my sellers why they bought the home for the same reason you state here - it gives me a great idea on WHOM to market to, but I like the idea of giving them a form to fill out. The sellers usually like to know that a buyer is going to take care of their home as well as or better than they did and this would be one way to make them feel like that will happen. It probably would make a nice gift to the buyers, also to know how the home was used before! 

I've already created some forms with those type of questions on and plan to use that from here on out!

Thanks for a great post!

Sharon
3:24pm • #71
420,205 Points 22 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Thanks, Gloria!

Sharon - I gave my Sellers the form to fill out at a Listing appointment last night. They said, "your home stager just told us to neutralize our home, and you're telling us to personalize it!"  We laughed about it. They understood. Good luck to you!
7:49pm • #72

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