Month: February 2021

Will St Joseph Sell Your Home?

While I’m all about doing everything you can do to sell your home faster, will St Joseph sell your home? Burying a St Joseph statue in your yard has never been anything I suggest. In addition, if you’ve ever used one of these statues and swear by them, then your house was probably on the market for some time and you probably finally got it priced right. But the folk custom that came to be that sellers should bury the statue in their yard as a sign of prayer asking to find a buyer for your home is pure folklore.

For that very reason, I actually decided to team up with St Joseph when I asked my seller, Melanie Dillon, if she buried one in her yard. Her response was they didn’t need to because they had St Melinda. Yes, St Melinda sold their Overland Park house the first day on the market a few years ago (it’s what I’ve always done) – when there was actually some inventory to sell.

No matter what the inventory is, there are only 3 reasons your house will sell. And St Joseph is not one of them.

  • It’s priced right
  • It looks spectacular
  • You have the right agent

There really are no gimmicks when it comes to selling homes. Never have been. Even praying doesn’t work. Me teaming up with St Joseph is a gimmick – in all reality, I don’t need him. Above all, too many agents focus on things that don’t really matter when it comes to selling houses.

Here’s my secret sauce

If you start with a realistic price and create a product worth that price, you’ll get more money every time. That’s exactly why I learned the art of home staging 10 years ago. At that time, houses that were for sale didn’t show well. Many of them still don’t show well because sellers and their agents don’t understand what home staging is and how it works.

The right price and a great look will boost the right priced home every time. But even in today’s market, savvy buyers will not buy a house that’s overpriced. They will however pay you more for a house that’s priced right and that they can see themselves living in. For that reason, buyers must get emotional about your house and if they don’t, they’re not going to buy it. My job, as your home stager, creates that emotion. My job will sell your home for more money.

Will St Joseph sell your home?

No! If you’re set on selling your house with St Joseph buried in your yard – you need to rethink things. Obviously, your house hasn’t sold for one of the above 3 reasons. What is it that isn’t working for you? If your agent is telling you it’s the market, they are lying.

There’s a Melinda-ism I may have jacked from someone else…you make excuses or get results but you don’t get both. If you want to sell your house, quit making excuses, make the changes necessary and you’ll get results.

There are buyers out there but you’ve got to give them what they want. If your house is on the market and not selling, look at the pictures online. Does it compare to the house you want to buy? If not, get a new price, new look or new agent.

I get calls from people around the country who can’t sell their house. When I see their homes, I understand why their house hasn’t sold. The time spent buying the St Joseph statue and burying it could be time better spent on figuring out why your house hasn’t sold and making the necessary changes.

If your house hasn’t sold and you need help understanding why, ask St Melinda at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here. Time is of the essence in real estate and every day your house is on the market is costing you thousands of dollars!

The 10 Second Rule

The typical Overland Park home buyers use the 10 second rule when they arrive at your house. What does that mean? It means, that within 10 seconds, the buyers have made a decision whether or not they are going to buy your home.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how many homes I see that have terrible curb appeal, porch appeal and entry appeal. Sellers who don’t think these things are important should think again.

What today’s home buyers want

Furthermore, today’s home buyers want to be impressed. Why? They are getting ready to spend their entire life’s savings to buy a home. It’s a place they will make memories for themselves. So many of these home buyers are moving from apartments that are pretty impressive. If they have a gorgeous rental, they certainly expect to be impressed with a house they are going to buy.

Therefore, buyers want to know the home they are considering buying has been well maintained. At a recent panel I was on for first time home buyers, their biggest fear was buying a money pit. That means if you are selling, you had better step up your game because today’s buyers are looking for a reason not to buy your house. They are looking in every nook and cranny for something that isn’t right. They are eliminating all of their options until they find that perfect home with the Goldilocks effect.

Consequently, Overland Park home buyers have already decided about your home long before they reach your front door. Even more, they have researched everything they possibly can online. They’ve done an aerial view, they know what your street looks like and your next door neighbor’s house. When your house is ready, the buyers will come.

Finally, here’s what they really want to see when they get there:

  • A good street
  • A well maintained neighborhood
  • Respectable looking homes
  • Awesome curb appeal
  • Perfection at the front door
  • And a “wow” factor as they enter your house

When home buyers fall in love with your home

In addition, to please today’s Overland Park home buyers you’ve got to have that “you had them at hello” scenario. It all comes down to the details. Let it begin in that first 10 seconds and keep it going as they walk through each room of your house. When they’re done with their tour they’ll be saying, “We have to have this house and we’ll pay more money for it.” That’s how smart sellers are winning at the 10 second rule with today’s picky buyers.

Think this is foolish? As a result, buyers can take your house or leave it? With that attitude you’ll surely be on the market awhile. It’s not the new way to sell your house. You’ve got to change with the times or take your chances of not winning the home selling game. The choice is yours. Remember, not all houses sell. Will you be one that adopts the new rules to sell your home and adopt the 10 second rule as part of your home selling strategy? Selling your home is simple – but it’s not easy.

I’ve been helping home sellers with their 10 second rule since 2006 when I started my home staging business. If you’d like to incorporate it into your home selling strategy, call me direct at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.