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Taking Advantage of the HOT Summer to Sell A Home with a Pool

By
Home Stager with Shows Great Home Staging and Web Solutions

Last fall we provided Market Ready Services by painting, removing some wallpaper, and rented some artwork to a homeowner who was preparing their home for the market.  Their home had an inground swiming pool.  The home was on the market for several months when the owners decided to take it off and put it back on the market in a few months due to some personal reasons. 

July was one of the hottest months on record here on the East Coast and when the agent called to tell me she was putting the home back on the market,  I decided to retake the photos and put more emphasis on the beautiful inground pool.  In less than 10 days there were 3 offers on the table.

Which house would have gotten your attention?

First agent email banner and web marketing Fall 2010:



Second agent email banner and web marketing Summer 2011:




If you are selling a home with a pool this summer...why not take advantage of the heat to spotlight your listing.  Take photos of the pool area.  Place colorful floats and beach balls in the pool.  Stage the pool area with a place to sit and enjoy a cool drink.  Use your imagination to reach potential buyers and pull them poolside.  You might even consider a REALTOR luncheon or Open House by the pool. 

Comments(26)

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Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Heat and pools go together like bread and butter. In my last home, we had a pool which was ideal for all the right reasons. You either want one or you don't. You don't get much fence sitting on this topic

Aug 13, 2011 03:37 AM
Bryan Robertson
Los Altos, CA

Good point!  Perspective is important and getting the word out on a home with a pool where the temps are over 100 is key.

Aug 13, 2011 04:09 AM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

Very wise marketing tool-you are one wise lady!!

Aug 13, 2011 05:05 AM
Dianne Deming
RE/MAX Realty Group - Rehoboth Beach, DE

You know your business!

Aug 13, 2011 05:45 AM
Julia Maher
Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT
Connecticut Home Stager

VERY smart!!!

Aug 13, 2011 06:35 AM
Wendy Tomm
Beyond the Walls - East St Paul, MB
CCSP, RESA-PRO, BBB - Wpg Realtors

Nice idea and a great way to showcase the home in the summer.

Aug 13, 2011 09:27 AM
Wanda Richards
Shows Great Home Staging and Web Solutions - Roanoke, VA
Shows Great Home Staging

Thanks for the comments.

Andrew - sounds like you live in an area with plently of water available to cool off in.  :).

Heather - in the past pools have proven to be as much of a determent as a bonus.  The heat this summer has pools in our area a great selling feature.

Kathy - Thanks...you do have a great view of the mountains from all sides on this home.  One of it's many features.

Michael - When I was still selling (before I started my staging company) I once joked about selling a Pool and they got a house included.  They could have cared less about the house but there were certain features that the Pool had to have.

Diane - You are welcome...good luck with selling your pool homes.

Richie - I could not agree more.

Bryan - as they say..time to make hay while the sun shines or in this case...sell a pool :)

Cathy - awww...thanks bunches.  Coming from you that is quite a compliment :)

Dianne - thanks ...but I just try to think like a buyer.

Julia - thanks...just trying to appeal to our target market "really HOT home buyers" :)

Wendy - thanks...in this case the HOT summer helped us.

Aug 13, 2011 09:41 AM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

Wanda - This sounds like it was a very good marketing choice.  We need to highlight the positive.

Aug 13, 2011 10:09 AM
Wanda Richards
Shows Great Home Staging and Web Solutions - Roanoke, VA
Shows Great Home Staging

Thanks for the comments Christine and you are so right!

 

Aug 13, 2011 11:47 AM
Brian Madigan
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage (Toronto) - Toronto, ON
LL.B., Broker

A pool should sell well in the hot weather. Also, it's usually a great landscaping feature. I find that many people don't have good pictures if they are selling in the off season.

Aug 13, 2011 12:31 PM
Evelyn Kennedy
Alain Pinel Realtors - Alameda, CA
Alameda, Real Estate, Alameda, CA

Wanda:

Clever girl.  The agent was lucky to have you assisting her/him.  The photo of the pool is very inviting.

Aug 13, 2011 02:39 PM
Donald Reich
Madison Specs - New Rochelle, NY
Cost Segregation Specialist

This has been a GREAT summer to have a pool!! What more could you want on these steamy hot days.

Aug 13, 2011 04:07 PM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Highlighting the pool was a great marketing tool, Wanda -- congrats on the quick sale!

Aug 13, 2011 07:05 PM
Angelina Clarke
Builder Services Realty, LLC - Tampa Palms, FL

The home looks beautiful!!!!  OF COURSE it sold quickly!  You are AWESOME!!!

Aug 13, 2011 11:55 PM
Ridhi Raheja
Movement Mortgage (Illinois) - Naperville, IL
FHA, 203k, VA, Jumbo, PreApproval, Jumbo Home Loan

That is what differentiates a good agent from an average one. They know how to tweak the marketing to suit the buyers needs

Aug 14, 2011 02:35 AM
Donna Schoby
Liberty Bank of Arkansas - Bentonville, AR

Nicely done Wanda! 

Aug 14, 2011 03:26 PM
Craig Hatcher
Georgia Residential Realty, LLC - Atlanta, GA

Love the 2nd photo, I try to always have pictures of what I list as features of the homes I market. It's hard for people to visualize, photos take out the guess work!

 

Aug 15, 2011 03:55 PM
Debbie DeMarco
Staging by Design, LLC - Richmond, VA
What a great idea!!
Aug 16, 2011 06:26 PM
Wanda Richards
Shows Great Home Staging and Web Solutions - Roanoke, VA
Shows Great Home Staging

Wow!  Thanks for the featured post and all the comments.  I am sorry to say that I have not been on AR this week because it has been a crazy busy week. 

Brian - Get point and I often suggest to agents if they know they will be listing a home in the future, then get photos when the exterior shows it's best.

Evelyn - Thanks!  The agent is very aware of staging and is always a pleasure to work with.

Donald - So very true.  I sure wish I had a pool this past summer :)

Maureen - Thanks.  All homes have their own special features.  We just have to find them and highlight them.  These features can change from season to season.

Angelia - Thanks for the kind comments.

Ridhi - So true and she knew when to call in a professional photographer and stager. 

Donna - Thanks bunches!

Hatcher Team - Thanks for the comments.

Debbie - Thanks :)

 

Aug 18, 2011 12:38 AM
Charlene Storozuk
Dezigner Digz - Burlington, ON
Home Stager - Burlington Ontario

Three offers in less than ten days - that's fabulous Wanda!  Congratulations.

Aug 22, 2011 07:16 AM