Face it, when buyers walk through a home, they are not only looking at the physical structure they may be calling their next home, they're looking at all of the stuff in it. They look at the furniture, the artwork, the knick-knacks, the food in the pantry. It's human nature. And the way people live tell a story about them.
No matter how well a home is staged, there is still the personal touch of the family that lives there. And invariably it's the music and book collections that give the best insight into the home-owner's soul. And let me tell you, many of my buyers glance at what's on the bookshelves and in the CD racks. It's idle curiosity.
And it's been my experience that a rack full of Grateful Dead CDs leads to a nice and easy transaction. Dead Heads are easy-going, laid back people. A bookshelf full of political thrillers leads to a tenser negotiation -- the homeowner almost always believes that the buyer is out to "get" him.
But this bookshelf -- in a beautifully staged home -- helped remind me that people need to be aware about what their books and CDs say about them!
Real Estate Loopholes?!? Perhaps a book better packed away before putting your home on the market! In fact, why advertise that you are an amateur real estate buff? You tipped your hand, Mr. Seller!
I told my buyer, "Watch out if you bid on this home, it might be a bumpy ride!" And he did, and it was.
But at least the books on the shelf gave us a proper warning!
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