When it comes time to prepare a home for sale, there are 5 easy ways to get started. It's as simple as using your 5 senses. Buyers will be using their senses to make a decision about whether a home they see is worthy of an offer. If a seller can put themselves in the buyer's shoes, they can evaluate how their 5 senses are affected. This scenario can help you understand this process.
AS THE BUYER DRIVES UP TO YOUR HOME - What do they SEE? Is your lawn manicured and are the flower beds weeded? Do they SEE the front door because that fresh coat of paint makes it stand out, inviting them inside. If they SEE a dirty stained driveway or sidewalk they may wonder if other areas haven't been taken care of. Let's hope they DON'T SEE toys in the yard or a dull, scratched door. You don't want them to SEE dirty windows or a dirty sidewalk and driveway.
AS THEY OPEN THE FRONT DOOR - they will use their sense of SMELL first. Every home has it's own "unique" fragrance. You don't want your home to SMELL like your animals. While we know they are part of your family, they can sometimes leave offensive odors in your home. It's important to ask friends, relatives or neighbors to be completely honest about how your home SMELLS. If the homeowners are smokers it is absolutely imperative they do NOT smoke in the home any longer. Sometimes it will require special cleaning techniques to get the smell out. Many people have a very sensitive sense of SMELL. Don't scare them away with offensive or strong odors. Too many plug-ins that smell like flowers can be a turn off too. If you want to freshen your home's fragrance, use soft scents like linen or rain. Remember, they are air fresheners, not odor maskers.
ENTERING THE FIRST LIVING AREA - can they SEE the beautiful fireplace? Is it covered with too much decor or blocked by furniture? Do they SEE the beautiful view through the sparkling clean windows? Can they SEE the true sizes of the rooms, or is there to much furniture? Are they SEEING small area rugs and runners all throughout the home? It's better for them to SEE the wood floors and how the uninterrupted flow opens up the space.
CONTINUING THE TOUR - what do they HEAR? - Is the toilet running? Do they HEAR a noisy air conditioner? Are they HEARING traffic noise from the adjacent street? Can they HEAR the blaring television? Is it possible they will HEAR your dog barking from the garage, where he/she might be caged? Noises can be very distracting. While some noises cannot be eliminated, you can give them something pleasant to HEAR. If they HEAR soft music in the background, it will give them a calm and relaxed feeling.
AS THEY WALK THROUGH THE REST OF THE HOME - how do they FEEL? Are the hot? Are they cold? If they FEEL hot, they might wonder if the air conditioner is working properly. If it's winter and the heat is on and they FEEL cold, they will be questioning whether the furnace is in good condition. Do they FEEL agitated or uncomfortable because there are too many personal items scattered throughout the entire home. Your goal should be for a potential buyer to FEEL calm, happy, relaxed, and stress free.
THE SHOWING IS ALMOST OVER - and before they leave you want them to take away something more than just the flyer that was left on the kitchen counter. Give them something to TASTE. We know how fresh baked chocolate chip cookies SMELL, but they TASTE even better. Most everyone has a sweet tooth, so leaving some candy in a bowl will be a great way to have them leave with a good TASTE in their mouth.
Every decision we make in life involves using our senses. What we see, feel, hear, touch and taste and how we respond to those things is a crucial part of our everyday life. We've all heard that buying a home is made on emotion and many of those emotions are heightened by one or more of our senses.
If this makes SENSE to you, then you will have a great start STAGING your home or helping your client's get started STAGING theirs.
Author, Julie Martelo, TIME TO REDESIGN- Offering Interior Redesign, Real Estate Staging, Decorating & Color Consultations in the Bradenton & Sarasota areas, including Parrish, Ellenton, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, Longboat Key, Port Charlotte, Osprey, Brandon & Sun City. Serving all of Sarasota & Manatee Counties. Visit Julie's website at www.timetoredesign.com.
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