How to Help Sellers - Even For Sale By Owners

We recently previewed a for sale by owner (FSBO) who was willing to work with Buyers' Agents and pay our commission if we brought an acceptable offer. We like previewing for sale by owners because we get to see other homes on the market that are not in the multiple listing service. We might have interested buyers and it is important to be knowledgeable about the market.  And frankly, when the FSBOs get tired of showing and marketing their homes and want to hire a REALTOR, we want them to have met us. If we have made a good impression, they might hire us.

The owner was very pleasant but clearly in a hurry to show us her home. She said she had shown it to countless REALTORS. We felt like we were on a race to see a 2000 square foot home in five minutes. "Here is the living room, here is the kitchen, here is the dining room, let's go upstairs." When I walk through a house, my eyes take snap shots of rooms, I think of ways to stage, look for water stains, cracks in foundations  -  all as I scan the rooms. This was like a nano second snap shot. My brain could not keep up!

When we finished our whirlwind tour, she sat us down and said, "Now, how can you help sell my house?"

I told her I saw some things she could do to help stage the  house if she wanted some suggestions. She said yes, but I think she meant no. I gave her the suggestions but I could tell she thought her house was just fine, thank you very much. I did not go through the list I had come up with mentally  -- put some paintings on the walls as it looks too sterile right now; paint some of the sunflower yellow and peach rooms to a neutral color; remove the laundry basket from the hallway; stage the music room. I had more. I kept my mouth shut.

We left her house exhausted. It made me think about our recent experience with sellers who are hiring us to list their home. What a contrast!

We spent three hours last Saturday walking slowly from room-to-room, evaluating the space, suggesting first to de-clutter, then to create a focal point for each room. We transformed two rooms that did not have a strong visible function. One became a library/study and the other, a formal living room. We moved paintings around to different walls; we gave away artificial trees and silk flowers; we brought an oriental rug from our staging inventory plus two bedspreads. The sellers were left with a list of improvements to make -- shampoo carpets, fill nail holes where we removed some family portraits, buy some new bath towels that they will leave out for show, pack up or donate books.

The sellers were at first hesitant to make the changes. I understand -- they have lived happily in spaces they love for many years. We explained that there is a way to live when your house is not on the market and a way to live when it is on the market. After an hour, they were tossing things into the trash with abandon. Any changes we suggested, they wrote down. That afternoon, they went to the store and bought all the items on their list including a new dining room light fixture. They love the way their house looks. "I wish we had done this years ago," they told us.

What a wonderful contrast between the willingness of our clients to listen to our advice and the FSBO owner who really didn't want to make any changes.

REALTORS view hundreds of homes every year. The Ericson Team sold 42 last year, so imagine how many we showed. We know what buyers are looking for. We also know that buyers will make a judgement in the first few minutes -- sellers don't get second chances. Buyers in their 20's and 30's are in the category we call "The HGTV Generation." They watch all the home shows to get ideas for curb appeal, decorating and remodeling. If your house isn't up to their standards, they will pass it by. We help sellers make good first impressions.

When the house we staged is listed, I'll put info and photos on this blog!