Listing Do’s + Please Do Not – #1 of #10

Listing Please Do Not #1: Over-Selling Your Home

You’ve spent the last 3 months de-cluttering your home, making various updates and staging for perfection. Now, your home has been listed and is ready for the public. You want everything to be perfect with intent to make the best possible impression.

Ding-Dong! – the bell rings.

A real estate agent holding a listing sheet is standing outside your door, surrounded by a couple with adults with some kids. You run through the house turning on lights as they patiently wait outside to make the grand entry.

Finally, the door opens and you greet them with a warm smile and a “come’on in!”

They do. Their eyes scanning the entry foyer and kids bunched up at the back of their knees. “Should we come in?”

“Yes, please – here is a brochure. We’ve done a lot of updating to the home. Here is a list of these updates. New roof, new furnace 2013, we’ve painted all the bedrooms, new toilet in the 2nd level bathroom replaced in 09…..dishwasher was also replaced in 2014. Here is the dining room……….” – seller takes a few steps into the dining room as buyer stands frozen politely nodding. Respectfully, the buyer’s agent grins at the buyer, as the showing is receiving a corner to corner explanation of each room.

This is not an effective showing.

A formal room by room analysis by a home seller shifts the buyer’s excitement to a seller’s formal presentation of their pride of ownership. There isn’t anything wrong with making a brief introduction or giving a short description, but some sellers will take over the tour suggesting making the buyer feel like they have to see the  home the way the seller wants them to see it, which often can turn the buyer off. Additionally, buyers have  different things they care about and the upgraded toilet or dishwasher are at the bottom of the list. They want to “feel” and capture the essence of the home and if interested, ask supporting questions after.

Listing Please Do #1: Let your home create the connection

Ding-Dong!

Open the door with a welcoming smile as if your guests arrived.

“Please come on in”. I’ll turn some lights on for you and leave you be. Don’t worry about turning them off. I’ll do it later.  Oh, here is a list of some of the recent improvements that we’ve made. We’ve been here for 32 years and it has been a great home. If I can answer any questions, please let me know, but for now I will go out the back door so you can have some space.”

This accomplishes the following: Seller and buyer make a warm connection, the list of updates is in their hand, the invitation of further question was delivered and now they can explore the space within their own energy and feeling.

A great showing will not result in a sale unless the home makes sense to the buyer, but if the home makes sense to the buyer, a great showing will make for a great sale, and a warm transfer of ownership.