Ask Phyllis!

Home Selling – How Far To Go?

Dear Phyllis,
I am going to be getting my home on the market and I met with my Realtor® – the one who sold us our home. She suggested moving some of our furniture and bringing in rental furniture. I can’t believe this is really necessary. What are your thoughts?    A

Dear A,
Each home seller has unique goals. Some want to sell their home quickly. Maybe there is a job transfer, or perhaps they have found another home and need to sell theirs quickly. Less happy reasons are loss of a job or divorce. When the primary goal is to sell quickly, there may or may not be time for a coat of paint, some flowers in the planters, decluttering and a thorough cleaning. Some sales dollars may be left on the table, but there may not be another option.

Other sellers’ primary goal is to sell with the least amount of effort. They don’t want to be inconvenienced. These sellers don’t mind if they leave sales dollars on the table.

The majority of home sellers want to sell for the highest possible price. They don’t mind a little inconvenience. They usually prefer to get their home on the market sooner rather than later. But many of these home sellers understand that a month or even two worth of preparation might add more than 10% to their bottom line. And the additional cash is worth the wait and preparation.

Which home seller are you? If you want to sell for the highest price, you may consider renting furniture (surprisingly many home sellers are doing just that). A lot depends on your home’s value. Ask your agent to provide you with an AS IS value and the value if furniture is brought in.

Perhaps, though, it could be just a few pieces… Several years ago, I had a client with an oversized couch in their medium sized family room; they simply exchanged couches with a neighbor during the selling process.

  Phyllis Harb