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Home Staging Tip-Are You Letting These 6 Distractions Cost You a Sale?

By
Home Stager

Don’t let one distraction cost you the sale!

 

I believe in keeping my eyes and thoughts focused on the positive but let’s face it, sometimes we can’t keep distractions or negative things from impacting us.  Buyers are no different.  Much as they want to fall in love with your home, home stagingone distraction can turn that “SOLD” into “We’ll Pass.”

 

What’s causing the Buyers’ eyes to turn away?  Here are just a few…

 

1.The 80s Look

On a home tour last year, I was impressed with how clean and well maintained the homes were.  However, the community was built in the 80s and the majority of the homes I saw still looked like it was 1980...the totally mirrored wall, laminate cabinets, glass tops, floral prints and those pink and green pastels!

 

2.Worn flooring

Whether it’s a stain in the carpet, a crack in the tile, or any flooring that’s seen better days, what the buyer sees is how much time and money it will cost them to update it.

 

3.Wallpaper

Yes, you can see past it, but even though your Buyer might be able to, it doesn’t mean they want to. An agent told me of their buyer who passed on a home simply because of the wallpaper.

 

4. Outdated or Never-updated Kitchen

It’s one of the first rooms that buyers go to; it’s the hub of the home. And, it can be a huge selling point if you’ve brought your kitchen into the new millennium!

New appliances, updated cabinets, and pulls, and the all important countertops say “buy me!”

An updated kitchen means to the Buyer that they can move in and not have to pay for and live through updating a kitchen.

 

wall of mirrors5.Deferred maintenance projects-unfinished projects

Yes, you’d been planning on repairing the less-than-safe sidewalk leading up to the front door but when the buyer sees this, they will wonder what else you’ve neglected.

 

6.Your Things!

Yes, when your agents suggest that you edit what you have, they know what they’re talking about!

Too much of anything can be a distraction to a Buyer.  If you have your treasured collection of “whatnots” spread throughout the house, it’s time to pack them up!

One of my clients had porcelain dolls everywhere... in every room...up on shelves that bordered the ceiling. I felt as if there were eyes on me everywhere I went.

 

Remove the distractions and help get your home sold!

 

Don’t let distractions cost you the

sale of your home!

 
 

 

Posted by

Kathy Streib
Retired Home Stager
and Interior Redesign

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for Houston & Harris Counties
and
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for all states


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Comments (42)

Scott Godzyk
Godzyk Real Estate Services - Manchester, NH
One of the Manchester NH's area Leading Agents

I though of you today looking at a home and it had orange counters. The home needs you Kathy Streib . Ill try to get a pic when we go back

Dec 08, 2016 12:47 PM
Dick Greenberg
New Paradigm Partners LLC - Fort Collins, CO
Northern Colorado Residential Real Estate

Hi Kathy - Great advice, as always. Those are all potential deal-killers, yet they're all easily dealt with, as you point out.

Dec 08, 2016 01:12 PM
Janice Ankrett
Burlington, ON
Staging Professional

Another well deserved feature Kathy! I've seen everything you listed and totally agree!

Dec 08, 2016 01:24 PM
Beth Atalay
Cam Realty and Property Management - Clermont, FL
Cam Realty of Clermont FL

Hi Kathy, another great post, well deserved feature! Unfortunately, all of the above happens and then some. Sellers must emotionally detach themselves from their house the second they decide to sell it so they can accept these suggestions. 

Dec 08, 2016 01:42 PM
Athina Boukas
Virginia Capital Realty - Richmond, VA
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)

So true...this is the best of the best advice.

Sellers should tour updated homes and builders' models then come back to their nest and see what the buyers see.

 

Dec 08, 2016 02:49 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hi Kathy

Well you have nailed it with this post - there are so many things that can turn off buyers and make them head the other way or at least if they DO decide to make an offer do so after subtracting big bucks for the work they have to do. It's a pretty rare buyer that will overlook this stuff especially if they feel they would be paying a premium for the home.

Jeff

Dec 08, 2016 05:12 PM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

You just happened to describe my next listing, which happens to be a short sale.  The positive to the home is it's location.

Dec 08, 2016 06:01 PM
Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

Hi Kathy Streib - All it takes is one little thing that a buyer sees that may make them pass. Sometimes it is something that is not even a costly fix! 

Dec 08, 2016 06:39 PM
Joe Pryor
The Virtual Real Estate Team - Oklahoma City, OK
REALTOR® - Oklahoma Investment Properties

I would add hallways with 50 framed photos that every buyer gets distracted with. Don't lose the flow with distractions.

Dec 08, 2016 06:49 PM
Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

Hi Kathy - Great advice,  If sellers followed these suggestioins, they would sell their homes much faster!

Dec 08, 2016 07:06 PM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Good morning Kathy.  My grandson is buying a home where the lady who owned it had over 3,000 dolls.  What a distraction..

Dec 09, 2016 03:34 AM
Sham Reddy CRS
Howard Hanna RE Services, Dayton, OH - Dayton, OH
CRS

Thanks for sharing!!!

Remove the distractions and help get your home sold!. Don’t let distractions cost you the\sale of your home!

Dec 09, 2016 04:36 AM
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

I see many sellers asking for full price but no upgrades like the kitchen not updated.

Dec 09, 2016 05:06 AM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

The question of what is driving a buyers eyes away has to be answered. Stagers have that answer and sellers and their agents need to hear it

Dec 09, 2016 06:51 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Excellent advice for home sellers (and agents too) Kathy!

Congratulations on another well deserved Feature!

Dec 09, 2016 06:52 AM
Liz and Bill Spear
Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH
Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Kathy, You're spot on with these 6.  I've had buyers reject homes more than once for these reasons.

Dec 09, 2016 01:57 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Kathy

Great post . . . . Your insight is right on point.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Dec 09, 2016 06:48 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Kathy

Congratulations on a gold star feature for an outstanding post.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Dec 09, 2016 06:49 PM
Diana White-Pettis
Bennett Realty Solutions - Upper Marlboro, MD
GRI, CDPE, CNE, WHC Upper Marlboro Homes for Sale

Excellent post and advice.  These can be definite deal-breaking distractions to pay close attention to if the goal is to sell as quickly as possible. Thanks for sharing.

 

 

Dec 17, 2016 09:57 AM
Beth Bromund
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel - Rochester, MI
REALTOR (248) 651-3500

Many buyers can't see beyond the dated decor.  But it can be a hard sell to get a seller to spend money updating that they don't have available.  It can be a bit of a Catch-22.

Apr 24, 2017 06:29 PM