Oh, Give Me A Home...

Oh, Give Me A Home…

Time for a pop quiz! 

Question:  When selling your home, when is your home no longer your home?

A:  When the Buyer’s deposit becomes non-refundable.

B:  When all documents are executed and funds transfer.

C:  When they pry your cold, dead fingers off the front door knob.

D:  None of the above.

 

If you answered A or B, you would be considered reasonable.  If you answered C, you should seek immediate psychiatric help.  If you answered D, you would be correct.

You see, you should really consider your home as no longer yours once you decide to put it on the market.  At that time, you need to stop thinking of it as your own possession and start looking at it through the eyes of a buyer.  Let me put it in perspective.  When you sell your car, you wash it, take care of minor dings, maybe have the oil changed and definitely clean off the rust stains on the back seat where your college student put the keg.  The point is, you do what is necessary to make the car, or, in this case your home, attractive to buyers.  In that sense, you need to stop thinking of it as your own.  What you consider as comfortable , others may consider to be junk.  What you consider as memorable, others may consider to be dated.  That cute pink bedroom that you painted when your daughter was four?  You may want to consider repainting it to a more neutral beige to broaden the appeal.  And, please, take down the kid’s drawings on the refrigerator.  Let’s be honest, people looking at your home are not as impressed by your children’s stick figure drawings as you are. 

It is all about how you pay particular attention to the staging of your home.  Instead of showcasing those items that reflect who you are, you may want to consider minor changes (paint is a great equalizer) to give your home the greatest appeal to the broadest base possible.  Also, don’t limit your efforts to the interior.  Remember, your yard and entrance are the first impression a buyer will have of your home.  Spruce up the landscaping, pull the weeds, pressure wash the walkway and make sure the exterior paint is sharp and clean.

Remember, it does not matter if your home looks good to you.  You have to think how good it looks to others.  At this point, it is no longer your home, even if your cold dead fingers are still wrapped around the doorknob.

Until next time…

Keep kicking the dirt!