The first impression factor in real estate
is a big deal maker. Many times the first impression is more influential
than a detailed analysis of the home. We've all heard of 'love at
first sight'. We know it's just a saying, but beneath a lot of so-called
'sayings' is a morsel of truth. People work from emotions most of
the time. Either consciously or sub-consciously, we get an impression
about things that trigger either positive or negative feelings inside
us.
When you take on the role of seller, you have
to understand the importance of first impressions. If the buyer gets
a bad first impression, your chances of selling are diminished by
a big margin. There are a few places where you can improve the first
impressions of your home, and it's a profitable exercise for you:
The first and most obvious area is the day
that the potential buyer actually visits the home to see it firsthand.
As soon as they drive up your street they begin to form their first
impression. Because if they buy, they'll be driving up this same street.
They not only look at the home you're selling, but at the homes around
it. That's why neighbors are so important to home value. Your home
should rate among the top ones that exist in that neighborhood, unless
your settling for a low purchase price.
Some things you should do before the home visit
is remove dead plants, rake leaves, cut grass, and generally clean
up the home area. The driveway is one of the biggest points of first
impression. If they feel good about pulling into your driveway, it
will set a great tone for the rest of the home. Just put yourself
in the buyer's shoes, and think about what you'd like to encounter
if it was you.
One area that some don't think about right
off lies with the pictures you take for advertising your home. These
pictures need to be top quality and professional. In today's internet
world, so much of the home shopping gets done on the web. If your
home is listed there, it needs to be presented as good as it can be.
And you should be able to give the searcher as many different looks
as they can get, so they feel from their search that they truly know
what the home looks like.
When you try to figure out the asking price
for your home, don't be backward about asking friends. And don't be
quickly offended by friendly criticism. Just take it as it is and
know that different people react differently to certain situations.
And this is how it will go with prospective buyers. So listen with
an open mind, and see if you can improve anything to change any negative
feedback.
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