Selling? Think Like a Buyer

For anyone that has bought or sold real estate before, you know what an emotional purchase it is – for either party. High emotions can bring tension and drama to what is likely to be one of the, if not the, biggest financial transaction of your life.

With that being said, the more you can remove emotion from the deal, the smoother it can go. That’s especially true when it comes to selling. Although this may be your beloved family home filled with countless memories, it’s imperative that you take an emotional step back and treat the sale of your home as a business arrangement.

First and foremost, you must learn to view your home as a buyer would, not as you see it. How do you do that? When we meet to discuss listing your home, we will give you our expert advice on what buyers want today. What motivates them? What deters them from making an offer? For your specific property, we can tell you just exactly who the typical buyer is, and we can assist you in creating and marketing the home that they’re looking for.

Since first impressions mean everything and most buyers are shopping online; professional photography, video marketing, and a robust online network of potential buyers are critical. We’ll show you all of the marketing your home will receive, right down to your specific buyer demographic. Anything less for an online presence will seriously derail your success.

While you’re changing your viewpoint to think like a buyer, you’ll need to reposition your frame-of-mind as the homeowner. Consider your home as a product that we’re preparing and marketing to gain the highest sale value – this isn’t your home anymore. We may suggest some improvements such as painting or reflooring. We may suggest staging empty rooms or removing some furniture to accurately highlight roomy spaces. Removing family photos and personal mementos allows the buyers to imagine this as their home, not yours.

What else would a buyer be sensitive to? Let them focus on all that they’re getting, not what they aren’t. Therefore, if there are any fixtures or “must-keep” items such as chandeliers or mounted flat-screen TVs that wouldn’t convey with the property, it’s best to remove them completely before listing the home for sale.

Knowing what buyers really want today is key. As the leading real estate presence in North Scottsdale, we are a wealth of knowledge on the subject.  Contact us at 602.320.8415 or lucky@russlyon.com.