Can this Realtor selling her own home follow the same advice this Realtor gives home sellers?
This Realtor is selling her dream home and wondering if I can follow the same advice this Realtor gives home sellers. Finally, the shoe is on the other foot.
Some would say that I am too strict with my clients selling their home. It must be priced competitively. Needed updates and improvements are to be made before photos are taken and before my sign goes in the yard. I encourage my home sellers to utilize the services of a home stager. Remove any objections a Buyer could possibly have – your home is now a commodity, and your personal attachment must be removed.
Can I be objective about my own home – my first home purchase, my dream home? Doubt it.
Understanding my inability to be objective, I asked several other Realtors their opinion of price. Would you be surprised to know that I think my home is worth more than all the Realtors I asked? (small smile)
Can this Realtor selling her own home follow the same advice this Realtor gives home sellers?
Today I met with a Realtor and home stager. They nixed some ideas I had about updating and added a few to my list. My home has been rental property since I married four years ago, so it will be vacated and staged before I sell. I even explained to the home stager how I had my furniture arranged when I lived there! She nodded and smiled, ignoring every word I said. (second small smile)
So, I’m now having to let go of my emotions and be on the receiving end of the advice. It hurts, even knowing that the polite criticism is constructive and for my benefit. Maybe the next time this Realtor gives advice to her home sellers, she’ll be a bit more compassionate.
Lori Cain is a residential Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors serving the greater Tulsa Oklahoma area, including midtown Tulsa, Owasso, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Sand Springs and Jenks. Please visit Lori's web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.
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Lori is a residential Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors serving the greater Tulsa area and specializing in downtown Tulsa and midtown Tulsa real estate.
Hi Lori ~ It's a real eye opener to be on the other side isn't it? When I sold my house - or I should say when I listed my house with a realtor after I moved back to Massachusetts - I think my agent was surprised when I acted like a typical seller - she expected better of me. But I started fixating on ads, open houses, etc.
Your house is scrumptious! That is it in the picture isn't it? Love it.
Liz
No, that's not my house in the photo - it's one on my block though. The most recent photo of my home exterior is five or six years old - BEFORE tenants and when my landscaping was that lovely. So far, it's been a humbling experience. I intend to list my house, but yes, it is a real eye opener to be on the other side. Thank you for understanding!
Lori, That's too funny. I haven't sold a personal property since I became a Realtor. I bet I'd be my own worst nightmare!
Good luck. Manage that seller!
Boy is that ever a lesson if I heard one. That really will make you think when consulting your next Seller :)
Rich & Jane - wish me luck! Funny? Sorta. Lesson learned - definitely! Will let you know how it turns out!
Lori- It is a good thing to have the shoe on the other foot so to speak. Human nature kicks right in doesn't it? Now you will have real empathy for your sellers. But at least you won't have the packing, moving , where am I going moments that many add into the stress mix. And you know you picked the right Realtor and she will answer your calls! lol Good luck on your sale!
LOL Dixie - yes, I will return my calls! And, yes it's true I don't have the packing, moving, where am I going stress. This may be a really good experience for me.
It's tough to be on the other side of the table, isn't it Lori? I personally don't like to sell my own stuff, mostly because my husband - who unfortunately owns the other half of eveything - is my WORST client!
Lori,
As a stager, I am completely aware of what others must do to get their home up to par before going on the market. But what do I expect of myself when facing the same thing?
Now we are getting ready to put our own house on the market and I've had to ask myself some tough questions. Do I REALLY REALLY have to neutralize my red dining and office? Can't I use my upstairs MNL suite as a storage for all my staging pillows and linens and just explain it away when I tell buyers I'm a stager?
YES - I really do have to paint over my red and clear out my storage area. I have to do all the things I tell clients they have to do. I've always tried to be compassionate when doing my consults, but this being on the other side is still an eye opener. I forgot how much work can go into prepping and maintaining a home on the market.
I was very happy to hear that you, as an REA, brought in a stager and from the sounds of it, will be listening to her advice. Hoping you have a quick sale!
Mel
Congratulations for recognizing the need to approach others for advice. I wish you the best.
Lori.
I staged and sold (on my own) my own house a little over a year ago and it was a great experience. I feel such tremendous compassion toward my clients now but at least I can tell them I wouldn't ask them to do anything I wouldn't do myself. I worked like a dog on my house (ya gotta walk the walk) and did much of the work myself. It was worth every minute of it. I got a full price offer the first day, first person who looked at it and it was 7% higher than any Realtor thought I should ask.
You CAN do it! It's worth it. Good luck and if I can help, I will.
Kate - I thought about asking another Realtor to list it, but honestly, I'm the best Realtor that I know! :)
Mel - thanks for sharing YOUR side of the situation. Yes, this Realtor believes that staging makes all the difference in the world. ESPECIALLY because I am emotionally involved, I am turning this project over to her. Looks like I'll just be writing checks! LOL!
Laura - thank you. I'll report back in a few months as to how I'm doing.
Allegra - I'll be calling on ya! Congrats on your success!
I never sold a property that I owned while working as a realtor. Now I'm selling, out of state, a home that I'm a PR for.
I did everything to that house that I would have for my clients. The roof was replaced, the carpet removed, the house painted and staged. Then I sat back and waited for the realtor to do her job.
When the offer came in is when the realtor in me came back with a vengence. I brought up title work, timelines and other items that made her head spin :-)
We are closing this week on the house as she is grateful to me for the hard work that I did
Virginia - I can imagine selecting a Realtor to represent you in another state would be quite a challenge in itself. Glad that it worked out!
Lori--For years I heard the saying that every real estate agents needs to buy or sell every few years so they understand what their clients are going through. Good luck. Mary
Good point, Mary. Truly, it's an eye-opener. And as Dixie pointed out, I don't have the hassle of finding another home or packing/moving to add additional stress.