For a musician or band to have a popular song on the radio, they say it has to have a hook. This would be some catchy portion of the song that hooks you in and keeps you wanting for more. A lyric that you can’t get out of your head. A guitar riff that you always hum.
In today’s real estate market, the same needs to be absolutely true about the home you are trying to sell. If there isn’t something memorable, in a positive way, about your home, why would someone buy it? The easiest thing that can be memorable is the price. In fact, it’s almost certainly the most important thing that needs to be memorable right now, and it needs to be memorable, not because potential buyers think the home is priced too high, but because the price appears to be a good deal.
But just being a good deal may not be enough. Almost certainly, the home needs to be in move-in ready condition. The carpets need to be cleaned, there can be no visible sign of deferred maintenance, the pool is blue, the walls are freshly painted. Those are all good things, and being clean may in fact be memorable, but presumably you aren’t the only savvy seller in your neighborhood, so just being clean won’t set you apart. Here is where we need a feature of your home that few other people have. In a track home neighborhood, the best feature you can have is either a pool or fire place. If less than 25% of the homes in your neighborhood have a pool, having one will definitely set you apart, so long as the pool is not only blue, but shows no rust stains, has a working filtration system, and generally looks to be worry free, inviting you to jump in.
A fireplace, surprisingly enough in Phoenix, is also a really good feature to have. I’m continually surprised by the number of people who like to see a fireplace in their home. Many newer neighborhoods, particularly lower priced homes, rarely have a fireplace. So if yours has one, that will probably be viewed very favorably. Now just make sure you dress that fireplace up, so that it’s clear it is the focal point of the room, and not the TV.
A pool or fireplace, however, are not simple things to add to a home, if either don’t already exist when if you decide to sell your home. So what other hook can you use to create interest? The #1 thing you can do to create a memorable impression is to paint the home. Paint the entire interior real estate beige. White interiors look clean, but they are also boring and easily forgotten. Paint it beige, with nice bright white baseboard and doors, and your home will pop, Pop, POP. It looks so crisp, almost dressed up. Without a doubt, it’s the smartest thing you can do. Plus, if you can do the job with quality (that’s very much key), it’s not terribly expensive to do it yourself.
Another good hook, is to have a nice back yard, even if you don’t have a pool. Green grass, with a nice edging, and well maintained trees and shrubs will appeal to more buyers than desert landscaping. Some buyers won’t buy a home with grass, but most prefer it. Appeal to the broader audience, particularly if this is a 4+ bedroom home, likely to be lived in by a family.
Similarly another good hook is to make sure the front yard has something of interest near the front door. A relatively inexpensive fountain will add that Feng Shui element without breaking the bank.
Hmm, I’ve digressed a bit, talking specifics, so I’ll close by getting back on point. Find that killer feature that no one else has, the hook to make them remember your property, even if it’s not that expensive, and then emphasize it. You’ll be glad you did.
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