Imagine you need to sell a car. Normally you would have the car detailed to make sure it shines. A clean, shiny, well kept car will appeal to the most buyers and get you the most amount of money. Most buyers will not seek out a dirty, beat up car, unless is cheap.
The same goes for selling a home. In fact, a home is a much larger sale so why not take the time to make it shiny.
Most people now a days have the attention span of a gnat (as do I). We only have one opportunity to make a good first impression.
Most buyers will research homes and areas online before they even consider reaching out to an REALTOR®. Property pictures are EVERYTHING. If your home does not show well in pictures you will not get the traffic you deserve.
You want to appeal to the most number of buyers. Stage your home to appeal to the masses. This will give you the best chance to get the most out of your investment. Your home is an INVESTMENT. It’s probably the largest investment you will make in your life.
When we represent a client in selling a property, it is our job to make sure that the property is marketed in a favorable manner. It is our job to tell you to declutter, clean, and freshen up the property. We know what buyers are looking for. We hear their complaints every day. Our critiques aren’t personal. We do not sell homes the same way we live in them. We want to you make as much money as possible. You make money, we make money. It’s that simple
As a future seller, do your research and make sure your listing agent will present your property in the best light. Look at their previous listings and see if you find them appealing. Does the agent focus on the homes best attributes? Are the pictures clear? Is the home clean and decluttered.
Sometimes the best way to explain the importance of our roles is to show them in pictures! Let the fun begin…
Please note that these are all listing pictures. None are from the Houston area (don’t want too step on any toes). They are all from different price points. I have seen multimillion dollar homes that are represented in this same manner.
First, declutter and clean. Most buyers when sent photos like this will not even want to tour the property. Would you?
Lighting focus and angles – Dark photo are the death of a listing. Add blurry to that and why would a buyer keep looking?
Main picture, first impression – We have the ability to organize the pics as we wish. Ideally you want to post the best pic first. This picture will either tempt the buyers to open the listing and learn more or they will simply swipe past it.
Virtual staging has come a long way but when it looks like this it’s probably better to leave the room empty
We can’t force a seller to clean and declutter but we can stress the importance and set expectations. I know that money is sometimes a factor. You can’t do repairs if you don’t have the funds. That said, cleaning and decluttering is free. No excuses.
A listing agreement is a partnership with the same goal: to sell for the most money. The seller does their part (clean, declutter, make repairs, etc) and we will do my part. We will stage the home to spotlight the home’s best features and order professional picture. Professional pictures are absolutely necessary.
This partnership will only work if we both do our part. We too are making a investment of time and money to make your home shine.
If you have any questions or would like a complimentary staging consultation please feel free to contact us at the following number.
Ali Palacios
GRI, ABR, MCNE, TAHS, ASPRE, HARRL
Broker
Happy Clients Realty Group
ali@happyclientsrealtygroup.com
For example of great listing pics click here
