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Preparing Your House For sale - There Are Actually 3 First Impressions

By
Home Stager with Sharon Tara Transformations

You don't have to be a real estate professional to know that first impression is important when selling a house.

Curb appeal used to be where potential buyers developed their first impression of a property. Today curb appeal has been pushed to second place.

The first place winner in the "First Impression" category now goes to the internet.

That's where most buyers first judge listings based on their photos.

Obviously if buyers like what they see online, they take the next step and book a showing.

This is where curb appeal comes into play....what buyers see when they arrive, as they approach the door, and as they wait on the porch for the door to open.

Once inside, buyers get to see the home in more detail....with each and every one of their senses responding. The visual appearance, the neighborhood noise factor, and smells (both good and bad) all play a role in the ultimate first impression of the house.

 

So, consider this when preparing your house for sale....

There are actually three "first impressions"

1.  Internet - mls photos

2.  Curb Appeal - exterior of home

3.  Interior of Home

 

You've no doubt heard the expression "Third time's the charm" .

The expression holds true when it comes to preparing your house for sale.

The mls photos and the exterior curb appeal may win them over, but it's the third first impression that will make or break the deal.

The first few seconds inside the door are very important. This is where the tone is set....negative or positive. Potential buyers will carry their negative or positive reaction with them throughout the home, looking to validate it....looking room by room for more positive or for more negative.

This is why Home Stagers stress the importance of preparing the entry way...the foyer... to make the best possible impression.

We want buyers to enter and immediately fall in love and then continue to feel the love as they see the rest of the house.

 

If you are preparing your home for sale make sure you have all THREE first impression bases covered!

 

Schedule a Home Staging Consult for a detailed plan of action to guarantee your marketing photos, your curb appeal, and every room of your house are both visually and emotionally appealing to buyers.

Comments(77)

Wayne Zuhl
Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ
The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

Well said, Sharon - buyers need to be convinced at all three levels in order to get to a deal.

Jun 11, 2016 08:05 PM
Sharon Tara

All three levels!  Unless they are investors who are looking for a deal.

Jun 12, 2016 04:34 AM
Larry Johnston
Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN
Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

Good morning Sharon Tara , Excellent blog.  Congratulations on your Feature. There sure is a world of difference between the two photos.

Jun 11, 2016 11:49 PM
Sharon Tara

Thank you. One if my recent transformations.

Jun 12, 2016 04:35 AM
Victoria Palmer
Victoria Staging & ReDesign - Lake Havasu City, AZ
Home Staging & Redesign

Sharon I agree all three "First Impressions" are important. And with 90% of buyers looking online first, the photos are key to getting buyers to the house and throught the door.  Being a Profesional Home Stager like you, I know exactly how to prepare a house to get ready for the market before the photos are taken.  

Jun 12, 2016 04:01 AM
Sharon Tara

Having a professional stager on their team makes the job easier for agents.

Jun 12, 2016 04:36 AM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Do you ever refer agents to stagers in other parts of the country Sharon Tara? I follow your blog posts and would love to find a  stager in my area with even half your knowledge

Jun 12, 2016 04:12 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I wish I could....but don't know any personally. I would suggest checking the RESA website. You can do a search by state. I wish we were in the same market...would love to work with you.

Jun 12, 2016 04:40 AM
Karen Feltman
Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, IA KW Legacy Group - Cedar Rapids, IA
Relocation Specialist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

So true!  The photos, or lack thereof, determine whether a property is added to the buyer's list to see.  Thank you for the post.

Jun 12, 2016 06:10 AM
Sharon Tara

It's amazing what some agents list for photos.

Jun 12, 2016 09:08 PM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Yes those 3 make the package complete and move the buyer to make an offer or disregard it.

Jun 12, 2016 06:41 AM
Sharon Tara

There are homes people never see in person because of the pictures.

Jun 12, 2016 09:09 PM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Well said & very true. It's an important step that sellers shouldn't ignore.

Jun 12, 2016 10:05 AM
Sharon Tara

The ones who make the effort to prepare and present have the best results.

Jun 12, 2016 09:10 PM
Laura Moore
Coldwell Banker - Granite Bay, CA
Competent ~ Caring ~ Committed

Excellent and so right!  You have to nail all three.

 

Jun 12, 2016 10:39 AM
Sharon Tara

Thank you!

Jun 12, 2016 09:13 PM
Jeff Stevens
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New Mexico Properties - Las Cruces, NM
Jeff Stevens, Associate Broker/REALTOR

I've had sellers put all of the knickknacks and family photos away for picture day only to put them back out once the pictures are done. Now how does that help with the third impression?! Ugh. Great blog as usual.

Jun 13, 2016 01:07 AM
Sharon Tara

Oh I've been there and seen that....you are right it makes NO SENSE at all!

Jun 13, 2016 10:42 AM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

I like this.  If the  first two "first" impressions are less than good then then the third first impression may indeed never occur.

Jun 13, 2016 03:05 AM
Sharon Tara

And if the first two are just ok, the third can win them over!

Jun 13, 2016 10:42 AM
John Wiley
Fort Myers, FL
Lee County, FL, ECO Broker, GRI, SRES,GREEN,PSA

Tara, thanks for giving us the straight scoop on the presentation of a home.

All three are so important to bring a sale. Too often the focus is only on curb appeal.

People do look at the whole package and it needs to show well.

Jun 13, 2016 10:34 AM
Sharon Tara

"The whole package" is a great way of stating it. Sellers must consider the house as a whole....pictures, exterior and interior!

Jun 13, 2016 10:43 AM
CA COASTAL ESTATES Lauren Selinsky Perez CRS
California Coastal Estates - Aliso Viejo, CA
"Your Real Estate Broker" #oclauren

I agree on first impressions and the foyer is a great start after curb appeal 👍🏻

Jun 13, 2016 12:05 PM
Sharon Tara

First question I ask sellers is usually  "what door will potential buyers be entering?" I start by addressing the appearance of the entry.

Jun 13, 2016 10:08 PM
Dianne Goode
Raleigh Cary Realty - Raleigh, NC
Realtor/Broker

Love it -- "Three First Impressions" -- I hadn't thought of it quite that way.   

Jun 13, 2016 09:54 PM
Sharon Tara

It makes it helps to make sellers appreciate the importance of preparation when it's explained this way to them.

Jun 13, 2016 10:10 PM
Mihir Gandhi
First Team Real Estate - Placentia, CA
Real Estate in Placentia - North O.C. CA

Agree with you - Appearance is very important whether in photos or in reality ... Presentation is key!!!  

Jun 16, 2016 01:49 AM
Sharon Tara

I don't understand how a seller, nevermind an agent, could think otherwise. Thank you for commenting!

Jun 16, 2016 12:36 PM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Very true.  If the pictures on line do not grab them they will never come see it.   When they see it it needs to be as good as the pictures.

Jun 16, 2016 03:48 AM
Sharon Tara

Many people are disappointed because the pictures or text are misleading. You don't sell houses by making buyers feel deceived.

Jun 16, 2016 12:37 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Sharon, I LOVE this post!  Meeting with sellers this evening, I can tell you that we have the first two down-pat...now for the interior!  This is a great demonstration of what just a little bit of paint and staging can do to a place!

Sep 06, 2016 02:19 PM
Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

Hi Sharon Tara - You are right on the money.  The internet is now the very first part of the tricky "first impressions" that are made. 

Sep 07, 2016 12:55 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

Debe Maxwell  Best of luck with the listing. I'm sure you will have them ship shape in no time!

Sheri Sperry - MCNE  Master all the "first" impressions and you can't help but sell fast!

Sep 07, 2016 04:57 AM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

Surprisingly, our MLSs are still full of terribly blurry pictures. 

Sep 12, 2016 01:21 PM