The right buyers are out there – they just don’t know that your house is the right house. Yet.
As an experienced realtor in Greenwich, CT – and internationally – I know what buyers are looking for. Here are four steps that you can take to draw those would-be buyers out of the woodwork and onto your solid wood floors.
- Great photos. I always work with a professional photographer. It makes all the difference in the world:
- There should be a photo for every descriptor. If you’re exclaiming about the hardwood floors, we will showcase the hardwood floors. Highlighting the picture windows? Then there needs to be a corresponding photo. Chef’s kitchen? You’ve got it. A photo of the kitchen that shows the Viking range and Subzero refrigerator.
- People want to see the details in the listing photos – each photograph will be light and bright.
- We don’t misrepresent. It’s easy to edit photos to make them look better than they actually do. Not a good idea. We may get people in the door but they’ll be walking right back out.
- Staging! So, before we take these photos, each room has to look like a room someone would want to spend hours in.
- Everything should be painted, cleaned and de-cluttered. Remember: “Clutter easts equity.”
- Changing pillows and a throw to a trendy color is an inexpensive and easy change that can really pay off in photos.
- De-personalize. Yes, I know you love your photo wall of family pictures but many buyers have a difficult time visualizing how a home should look when they’re looking at how it actually looks.
- If everything is moved out of the house, leave a few pieces behind. When photos are taken, there needs to be perspective: a bowl of fruit or ornaments on the kitchen counter (see the picture above), a chair and side table in a sitting room, a candelabra on a dining room table.
- As a realtor, I use every tool available to me to market your property. From the Greenwich Multiple Listing Service to Facebook, Instagram, an exclusive webpage for your property, Public and Private Open Houses, American Lifestyle Magazine, e-Mails to potential buyers, our webpage, quality brochures … the works.
- One you don’t want to hear: Price your home competitively. I know the market and will give you honest advice. I will save you time and money. If your home is priced too high, it may sit on the market – even if it’s an amazing house. A competitively priced home is more likely to get lots of foot traffic, solid bids – even potentially generate a bidding war (every home seller’s dream!).
If you know of anyone in Greenwich – or internationally – looking to buy or sell a home, I’d love to help them. Email me at cp@charlespaternina.com or give me a call at (203) 622-3189.
