Marketing Your Home For Sale and Success

By James Strathy Warren

It has been said that within the first 30 seconds of entering a home, the decision is made whether to continue or leave by a potential Buyer.  If the decision is positive, the rest is exploration through the house to see if it works for them.  However, there is nothing wrong with helping the process along in a positive way.

Enclosed are some thoughts on how to anchor a Buyer’s decision on your home.

Decide which room is potentially where a buyer is going to make their decision… is it the Foyer, the Living room, Dining room or Family room etc.  Once that is done, a Seller should consider the following steps.

Using the Living room as an example…

1. “Tailor the room” -  that is make it clean and crisp looking with new paint, hang pictures in odd numbers on walls, add light (particularly natural light) to the room.  This catches the Buyer’s eye sight from the front door.  Get those windows cleaned.

Secondly,

2. “Add Pop “  value to the room.  Now a Buyer is standing on the cusp of the threshold of the Living room looking in.  Now we need to draw them in… this is done by having bright colours added as an accessory.  The best solution is usually bright red, orange, or ice blue pillows up against a soft coloured sofa.  Remember to display two pillow on one side and one pillow on the other side (equals three).  Leave enough room for the Buyer to sit, if they wish.  If they choose to sit, it shows they are comfortable.  “Pop value” makes people happy.  They will now step into the room to explore.  Adding flowers, usually white or light green flowers are an added bonus.  In the winter having the fireplace going is also an inviting feature.

Finally, the final point is what keeps the Buyer in the room…

3. The House needs “Soul“.  Once the Buyers are in the Living room, there must be life.  Buyers want to see and feel a happy house.  So, you can display wonderful happy pictures of your children, preferably in glass or black frames in different sizes around the room.  Remember, to display them in odd numbers of 1 or 3.  In doing so, this will allow the potential Buyer to actually envision themsleves in the house.  Even pictures of pets or favoured holiday spots are ideal.  Adding three books to the coffee table is also good (either really old ones or new flashie ones – stacked in threes.)  Buyers want to know more about the Sellers and this tells them alot about the house and how the current Seller’s live in it and take care of it.  Gone are the days of using the fridge as a display board.

The only other consideration is… the Master bedroom suite and bathroom should always be followed by these words

1. A Master re-treat
2. Spa-inspired (crisp white towels and floor mats)
3. Soul – glass jars filled with sand or sea shells in the bathroom

So, in conclusion remember these words when organizing, fluffing or preparing your other rooms…

A Tailored Look
Pop Value
and
Soul

Your success is in your hand and eyesight.

James Strathy Warren, Hons. B.A., C.F.A.C, an award winning agent, is a Sales Representative with
Royal LePage Real Estate Services Limited/JOHNSTON & DANIEL DIVISION.  James can be reached at jameswarren@trebnet.com and his website is located at www.jameswarren.ca.