How NOT to Look Like a Desperate Seller!

Selling your home? Here’s some great tips on how to know if you look like a desperate seller.

Non-Verbal Clues:  Every Picture Tells the Story 

When it comes to selling your home in the Tampa real estate market, the communication you have with potential buyers is not necessarily verbal communication.  This is because most buyers and sellers never meet unless the home is for sale by owner.

Buyer’s agents look for clues that tell the story about why someone is selling his home.

How to NOT Look Desperate if you are getting a Divorce:

If a buyer were to meet a seller face-to-face, do you think he would come out and say the reason he is selling his home is because he is going through a divorce?

No, he would avoid that like the plague, but your realtor can look through tax records for the home and tell you if a married couple owns the home in two seconds.

What buyers will look out for:

The tell-tale signs of a divorce situation are seeing a large home with missing furniture, whole rooms that don’t have furniture or closets with all male or all female clothing.  In addition, the sellers go ahead and leave family photos around the home because they don’t want people to know their situation.

If the seller was home during a showing like this, I would probably ask why he is selling his home.  This is why sellers are encouraged to stay away when buyers come look at their home.

Can Home Staging be Overdone?

If a home looks too staged, that’s a good sign the seller is motivated. When you walk into a non-distressed property and everything looks perfect, it really stands out. Lit candles and towels folded perfectly are no longer a reality of the times here in the Tampa real estate market.

I realize there are entire television shows dedicated to home staging; however, unless it’s done properly, buyers will know it’s staged. In my opinion doing it right means not being excessive, simply a nice clean home with the beds made and furniture in every room.

You should also choose your words wisely.  Would you use the words ‘seller motivated’ to advertise your home?

I Asked Fans of The Tampa Real Estate Insider on Facebook This Question:

 “When you see the words ‘seller motivated’ on a listing, what do you think?”

Here’s some of their comments:

• Make an offer.
• Seller wants out!
• Seller willing to receive below asking price.
• What’s wrong with it, that the person that has it desires out.

Could the buyers’ perception be that they will get a better deal if the property is distressed or in a short sale or foreclosure? Or, is it a better deal to buy from the desperate seller?

Contact a Realtor if you’d like to find out what your home is worth in the Tampa Bay area.

Thanks for reading my blog!