Why isn't your Miami home selling?
by: Ines.Hegedus-Garcia on February 19, 2008 15:38:07 8 comments »
If you are a Miami seller who knows me and reads miamism, you know I have drilled you over and over on how important it is for your property to show like a model. You may think I'm exaggerating and may even think that buyers don't really care if your house is organized or if it is staged, but you are wrong.
When there is a lot of competition, it is crucial that your property stands out, that your house shows better, that you have more to offer. If a real estate buyer is looking at 2 very similar Miami properties in the same location with similar price ranges, they will always pick the property that is clean, pretty and organized. There is a psychological factor that tells that buyer that the person that is selling the pretty and organized home "takes care" of their home, it also feels more welcoming and ultimately the property they want to buy.
Don't leave it up to chance! There are properties that are just sitting unsold for months, even years! Is it worth a little trouble of your time to make your house show the best way possible? I really hope so.
When we list a property, Rick and I meet with our seller customers and we go into detail about what needs to happen to the property for it to be in "showing condition". Of course we understand that sometimes circumstances don't allow for extreme measures, but there are key factors that need to happen for a property to sell, ignoring those factors will only keep your house on the market longer and will determine how motivated you are to sell.
Any Realtor will tell you that decluttering is the single most important factor when selling a home today. If you refuse to do anything else, you must at least declutter your property.
How do you declutter a home?
- put away small decorative items
- leave all surfaces clear - including top of dressers and tables
- put away personal items like photographs
- pick up the mess!
- empty closets out as much as possible
- if you have too much furniture, store it or get rid of it!
- Remember you are not selling your belongings, you are selling the home.
By not taking the time to make your home look presentable, you are sending a message that you are either not motivated to sell, or even worse, that your house is worth less than what the market calls for.
Here are some other articles about preparing your property for sale:
Top 5 Tips for Selling Your Home in a Down Market
To smell or not to sell.....that is the question
First Impressions in Real Estate
When are Holiday Decorations too much?
Please don't be stubborn! We, as your Realtors will do our job, will market aggressively and will do everything in our power for your property to sell, but we are not magicians and will need your total cooperation to get the job done. You can look at it as a team effort, all parties need to do their part to get results.
Related Posts
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Mortgage Mess is an understatement!
Home Sellers Can't Handle The Truth
Miami Home Sellers to the race: ready, set ....go!
· http://lifeinbonitasprings.comWhew, that photo is really something!
Permalink February 19, 2008 18:21:58 · http://agentgenius.comI as a buyer and a Realtor would not want to spend more than 1 minute in this home. We would walk right on through and out the way we came.
Properly tailored means you can relax with a buyer in it, allow them to feel at home allowing them an opportunity to imagine them and theirs in the home.
This home says to me - Chaos. I hope your sellers listen, I wouldn't even take a listing that looked like this. There's no showroom shine about it.
Permalink February 19, 2008 18:34:32 · http://www.miamism.com/
Chris - it's scary, but a lot of people don't realize that their mess can really bother others. That's what I call a "staged mess"Benn - in addition to a buyer not even being able to see it - the property would automatically become a "discount property" - no matter what real value it may have.
I agree with you about not taking listings like this - but sometimes sellers give you the impression that they are willing to do their part. A house that looks like this, is a bad reflection of me as a professional.
Permalink February 19, 2008 18:46:42 · http://www.NewHampshireMaineRealEstate.comI make this point with each seller I meet with. It's so important to convey that a property has been properly maintained. When I work with buyers, and we go into a house that just shines and shows itself, I let buyers know that someone who takes care of their property like that likely also takes care of the things we can't see.
Some sellers just don't seem to get that......your picture packs a punch!
Permalink February 20, 2008 07:44:13 · http://www.miamism.com/Ann - sometimes I wonder if some sellers think this whole idea of picking up and decluttering is a fabrication.I also encourage sellers to go into open houses to check out their competition - see how fixed up the other houses are, see what they are up against.
Permalink February 20, 2008 09:44:02 · http://agentgenius.comWell, if you really want to know what the psychology of a personality that would sabotage their own listing it's that they really don't want to sell, or they don't want to move, or they just don't want to deal- all three could be the answer.
When I've had to confront this situation I've actually asked the seller directly if this is the case, and if the answer is yes, then I'll need my base fee upfront please- because obviously you're not about to really sell the house.
They generally perk up.
Permalink February 21, 2008 14:47:46 · http://www.homesfortmill.comMy wife Carmen is a relatively new successful realtor. She was and still is a professional decorator. Part of her success has been her ability to correctly stage a home. Ditto to your post! Your blog is great too!
Permalink February 21, 2008 16:54:44 · http://www.miamism.com/Benn - unfortunately, I think you are right. This is a case where the husband and wife don't agree and one party may be more willing than the other.Scott - I have to tell you that being a decorator in this business is a great advantage and she brings an added value to her business that many can't. I am an architect and help my customers stage and move furniture (even get rid of furniture and decorations). I'm sure your wife has as much fun with it as I do and our clients appreciate it (the willing ones).
Thanks for the complimet.
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