Berber carpet - just saying the words strikes different cords with everyone. It's one of those things you either love it or hate it. In my experience, there are not many people in between. Years ago, when Berber was new to residential houses, it was the "end-all-be-all" for the upper tier markets. When an agent listed "Berber carpet" in marketing material, people paid attention. Buyers knew (or their agent told them) that this house had class!
Well, times have changed. Everyone wanted Berber, so manufacturers developed Berbers that were more affordable. As with most products, the quality suffered. Eventually, cheap Berber was installed - the fiber used was not as stain resistant; the loops were larger, which caused more noticeable crushing (high traffic patterns) and snagging; and, don't get me started on the color selection! I mean...how many gray/speckled Berbers have you seen in houses, condos or townhomes for sell?
The word Berber eventually had negative connotations. I've only been selling carpet to clients of real estate agents for eight years, but I can tell you, about 80% of the people I work with (agents and their sellers or buyers) do NOT want Berber. Either because they "heard" it wasn't as good of a product or because of negative experiences they've personally had with it.
Here's the trick: if you get a good Berber, it is a great product. Now, incase you didn't pick up on my meaning of "good", what I'm saying is that if you pay a premium for it...you will get a long-lasting, beautiful, durable product. In the carpet industry if you want "cheap", that's exactly what you'll get in every way! If you just want to put carpet in a listing to have it show well and get it sold quickly, use a low-tracking, cut-pile. It will save your clients money and appeal to the broadest number of potential buyers.
I can only speak for the Texas market, specifically the DFW area, and, new, neutral carpet and a good pad are a necessity in so many houses. However, for the purpose of selling a listing Berber is NOT the way to go! If the house you are listing has Berber and it is in good condition, I would recommend that you do NOT specifically mention "Berber" in your marketing materials (unless the house is considered a Luxury Home). Otherwise, you're turning people off before they have a chance to see what the carpet really looks like. As you know, people purchase based on emotions and if your potential buyer is one of the many that have a negative feeling about the word "Berber", you're turning them off before pulling them in.
Next, I'll talk about Frieze Carpet - It ain't your momma's shag!
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