One of the first things a good Realtor will tell his or her seller clients is to "de-clutter". This is not necessarily saying the house is a mess or dirty, but does imply it's time to put away all those personal tchotchkes and souvenirs collected through the years. The intent is to allow potential buyers feel as though the home could already be theirs. But what happens when all those little nick-knacks are the focal point of the house instead of the kitchen appliances?
Some years ago, I had a listing appointment for a lady who was moving back to Arizona. On the drive over, I rehearsed in my mind, responses to the three or four common objections I might hear during a listing appointment. I also considered common issues with the house, such as pet odor or a bright decor. However, nothing quite prepared me for what I was about to see.
When buyers enter a house, they imagine what that property could like in a few weeks. They consider lighting, mentally place their existing furniture in each room, and quickly scan for any repair items. In short, they assess how that house will suit their needs. However, if there are tiny, multi-colored items all over the place, this is a huge distraction. The human eyes can only take in and analyze so much. Though a listed property may be clean, it just appears CLUTTERED.
As real estate professionals, we must tread lightly here. What may seem like an obsession or just plain weird to some of us may be very important and significant to our clients. For a house to appear as a potential "home" to a buyer, it needs to be shown in its best light. That means clean and a lot of
surface area. Showing open areas on a wall, floor, ceiling or table make the property appear lager than it is. The simple reason is only a few objects can occupy the minds of buyers before they become frustrated and simply decide to move on. This is exactly why we notoriously ask sellers to remove everything from a refrigerator's surface. For those of us who have children, that's a tough one.
In the interest of full disclosure, in my home office I have a closet that is filled with magic effects and illusions I have collected over the years. Each was selected to fill a specific magic "need" aside from raising the ire of my wife. That probably seems weird to most potential buyers, but then again, my home isn't currently for sale.
Blaine Little is a real estate instructor, business trainer and an agent with Reliant Realty in Murfreesboro, TN. http://MomentumSemainrs.com