As a Home Stager in New Hampshire I help sellers prepare their homes for sale. I educate home sellers and listing agents on the power and importance of preparation. Preparing a home for sale is important because most buyers can't see potential. They determine a home's value based on what is presented to them.
A home is only worth what a buyer thinks it's worth. Buyer's perception starts with their first impression...that gut feeling they get as they search the MLS or when they walk into a home for the first time.
I recently wrote a post, It's The Rare Buyer Who Will See A Home's Potential, and Lloyd Binen left this in a comment:
What's a "yuk" house?
It's when potential buyers see it, they say "Yuk".
Even "sophisticated" buyers who think they can look past the yuk, can't.
A yuk reaction is emotional, involuntary and uncontrollable.
Emotional Involuntary
Uncontrollable
A buyer's initial reaction, their FIRST impression, is immediate. And Lloyd is right, it's from the gut, it's instinct and not something they have any control over. It's based on what they see and what they smell and what they hear.
First impression is not something that can be changed once it's happened. Whether it's positive or negative, it's very powerful.
As buyers go from room to room they look to validate their initial feelings....things to confirm their first impression.
It's up to the seller (and how well they prepared prior to listing) whether or not buyers see potential or see YUK.
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