October 8, 2025 • 20 mins
Selling your home isn’t just about price—it’s about psychology. In this episode of Getting Your Edge – How to Downsize Your Home, Judy Gratton and Dennis Day reveal six proven strategies that tap into buyer emotions to help you sell faster and for top dollar. Learn how to create a winning first impression, build trust through transparency, and use subtle cues that make buyers fall in love with your home. Whether you’re downsizing in King or Snohomish County—or preparing for a move anywhere—these expert insights will help you showcase your home’s best features and achieve a smooth, successful sale.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Dennis Day - Co-host (00:00):
Welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Dennis Day, andI'm here with Getting Your Edge
How to Downsize Your Home.
I'm with my real estate expertand local advisor, Judy Grattan.
How goes it today, Judy?
We have an excellent show foryou today.
We are local downsizingexperts, and we have a show
(00:24):
called The Psychology of SellingYour Home.
And what we're talking aboutare six strategies that will
help you sell your home for topdollar.
That's the goal.
You want to get the most andbest you can.
This is an investment.
Let's talk about those sixthings.
(00:44):
Number one, there's an oldsaying, you don't get a second
chance for a first impression.
What does that mean for homesellers?
Judy Gratton - Co-host (00:54):
What does that mean?
People form their impressionsfrom the minute they drive into
the neighborhood, which youdon't have a lot of control
over, but especially when theypull up in front of your home.
If your home looks inviting,clean, landscape trees trimmed
back so it's not overgrown, toysand different items put back
(01:18):
where they belong or notvisible, that is a good first
impression when they walk up tothe front door.
If the door knob is newer andnot dull and worn out or painted
over, if you have a kick plateis that shiny and new, not
spotted and tarnished, and doyou have a nice welcome mat that
(01:40):
makes them feel like they'recoming into a place that they
want to see?
So get a new welcome mat.
Make sure your doorknob is new,make sure the door is clean and
painted, not chip.
Things like that.
That helps with the firstimpression.
If you can put some flowersout, seasonal flowers, that's
always a plus.
Dennis Day - Co-host (02:00):
As a seller, you need to think like
buyers think.
How can I make the impressionthat leads people to believe
they're going to be welcome andthey're going to love this home?
I can visualize myself livinghere.
It's so important.
Basic landscaping can make allthe difference.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (02:21):
What are your goals about selling this
home?
Let's say that you aredownsizing and you have not been
able to maintain the home for aperiod of time, either because
physically, emotionally,financially, you just can't do
it.
If it has items that need to berepaired or it's really dated,
that is going to affect theprice of the home.
(02:44):
What is your goal?
Do you want to sell it in thecondition that it's in and just
be able to move on?
Or do you want to invest somemoney in it up front to make it
look better, to bring in ahigher purchase price?
And those are things thatpeople like you and I, Dennis,
can present to them.
This is what you could expectto get in the condition that
(03:05):
it's in right now.
This is what you could expectto get if you did some fresh
paint and updated some of thethings.
Is it really worth it to dothat?
And I've had people say, I'vegot to put granite countertops
in before my home.
First of all, granite's goneout of fashion now.
But in addition to that, why?
If the counters are notobnoxiously bad, what kind of
(03:27):
return can you expect to get onthat investment when you sell?
And we have reports that we canprovide them with that will
show what some of the differentremodel ideas are and how much
of it you can expect to recoup.
It's really important that youhave someone working with you,
an agent who understands theecology and pricing.
Dennis Day - Co-host (03:50):
First impression, you only get one
shot.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (03:53):
I can't tell you how many times I pulled
up in front of a house withpotential buyers, and they take
one look and go, nope, notinterested, and move on.
That's what happens if yourfirst impression isn't a good
one.
Dennis Day - Co-host (04:06):
Setting the stage for an emotional
connection.
Yes.
It's not about your stuff, it'sabout helping the buyers
imagine a life in your home.
What things can they do?
Judy Gratton - Co-host (04:21):
This is something I wanted to bring up.
When someone comes to see yourhome, studies say that they are
already 80% there on buying yourhome.
You're in the location theywant, your home is the size they
think they want, and it's in aprice range they're comfortable
with.
So all you have to deal with isjust the 20% more to get them
(04:44):
over the hump to make an offer.
One of the biggest things thatare really hard for realtors to
discuss is what does the homesmell like?
And sometimes it's things likepet odors, and those must be
addressed.
That will turn people offfaster than anything when they
come into a home and it smells,you will lose a lot of money if
(05:08):
you don't address that.
Odors are really important.
I would suggest having someoneyou trust come in and tell them
you want a really honest opinionabout does my home smell.
One of the simplest things todo to combat that, not go out
and buy a bunch of airfresheners and plug them in all
over the house because peoplego, what's wrong with it?
(05:29):
Sometimes it can just becomeoverpowering.
Instead, paint a wall.
Even if it's only one wall, thesmell of fresh paint is
positive in people's minds.
And they don't go, well, whydoes it smell like fresh paint?
It smells like fresh paintbecause the seller cares enough
to have done something.
Could just be that the carpet'srolled it.
(05:49):
You need to address odors.
Start packing.
You're moving anyway.
And the psychology of sellingyour home is it is no longer
your home.
It is now your product.
Ideally, people don't putwrinkled dresses on mannequins.
If they sell the dress, thesame thing is true with your
home.
(06:10):
Pack up your personalbelongings, political or
religious artifacts because itopens your home up to more
people who may not agree withthose things.
So you stay very middle of theroad, you clean it up to the
best of your ability, you takedown the items and excess
furniture.
It's not bad for a home to bevacant when you put it on the
(06:32):
market.
You should have the home deepcleaned.
And that means the oven, thestovetop, the inside of the
refrigerator, the rungs insideof the windows where you slide
the windows back and forth, orthe sliding glass door, the
windows and the doorsthemselves.
Everything should be clean andsmell clean.
(06:52):
And then the staging isbeginning to fall by the wayside
because it's become incrediblyexpensive.
And it can be anywhere fromthree to five to $10,000 or more
to stage a home.
That initial payment is goodfor 30 days, then you have to
pay rent on the furniture,considering that our market time
(07:16):
is longer now than it was inthe past.
That can become an issue.
I know many realtors who arehappier with a vacant home or
one with very little furniturein it.
And then they're having itdigitally staged.
Furniture is put into thephotographs that go onto the
multiple listing service thatshow some ideas of what can be
(07:39):
done.
And they also disclose thatit's digitally staged.
Interestingly enough, I'm notsure which of the large sites it
is.
It might be realtor.com thatactually has a feature where you
can cut the staging out of aphotograph so you can see what
the vacant room looks like.
So we're beginning to see ashift in that thought process
(08:00):
around selling a home.
Don't feel that you absolutelyhave to have staging, but it
needs to be as clean as you canget it.
Your personal items need to beremoved.
The majority of the furnitureneeds to be removed.
Now, I'm a bit different thansome realtors because if you're
still living in that home, yes,you live there.
(08:22):
So start moving it out thatway.
You must leave some paths inthe garage to get to the
electrical panel and the hotwater tank.
Should an inspection be done,but we have to be realistic
here.
Give people the opportunity tohave some grace in their
transition.
Start moving out to the garage,but clean it up to the best of
(08:44):
your ability.
Have everything as clean as youcan get it.
Cocky around the sinks, tubs,and toilets.
Make sure that's clean and notmoldy or missing.
Those sorts of things willindicate to a buyer that you
care and they start feeling morecomfortable that they could put
(09:04):
their furniture in this home.
Dennis Day - Co-host (09:07):
When we first decided to move our home,
we start packing stuff.
And we had three bedrooms.
One of them was where we putall our pack stuff.
You can't fill up a room andthen expect people to be
interested in your home.
So we put it in storage.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (09:23):
And there are those pods now that
they'll come and pick up.
And so that's definitelysomething you can do.
But at the very least, startmoving it into boxes out in the
garage and make sure that youleave some room to get to the
things that people have to getto.
Dennis Day - Co-host (09:37):
Another factor in the psychology is you
want to create the perception ofscarcity and competition.
Pricing strategies matter.
Sometimes listing slightlybelow the market value creates a
sense of competition.
More people coming in.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (09:57):
If it looks like a good deal, and if
you can generate a lot ofinterest around the open house,
you have a lot of people inthere.
Whenever there are a lot ofpeople in a home, they begin to
feel this sense of urgency thatsomeone else is going to buy it
out from under them.
That psychology works in yourfavor as a seller because
(10:19):
they'll be more anxious whenthey write that offer.
The competition thing comesinto play at that point.
That is up to your realtor tohelp you develop that type of
environment.
And then the other one is turnon all the lights and open all
the curtains.
Uh, it is the kiss of death towalk into a cold home with all
(10:40):
the curtains drawn.
So they may live like that, butthey don't necessarily want
that.
Dennis Day - Co-host (10:45):
There's a perception of the effort versus
reward.
Most homebuyers don't want towalk into a project.
Some buyers, perhaps one is acontractor or has experience
with tools and remodeling,looking for that deal.
You want the highest and bestprice, you don't want your home
(11:08):
to be like a project.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (11:15):
There are a lot of people who are
looking for investmentproperties to flip.
They're looking for the lowestprice, and they don't care how
much work goes into it, they'regonna flip it and hopefully make
a profit.
So if your home is in need ofrepair, you're gonna attract
that.
Or we have a lot of people whoare looking for investment
(11:36):
properties that then become anAirbnb or a rental property.
They're willing to put someelbow grease in, but then there
are other people who don't havethe skills and would have to
hire all the work done and theyjust don't want to do it.
Who do you want to attract?
To have the whole move inready, paint colors is another
(11:56):
huge thing.
So if you're thinking ofselling and you're really into a
certain color, you may considerreplacing things that are that
color neutral, a light, notstark white, a nice quiet,
beige, soft gray, uh, off-whitesort of a thing, cream colors.
(12:16):
That's what's going to allowpeople to see their own
creations in that home.
Think like a buyer.
Think like a buyer.
It is your product if you wantto sell it.
Dennis Day - Co-host (12:30):
Most buyers are really stretching
themselves financially to comeinto a home and then see I need
to put in flooring, I need newcarpeting, I need to paint, I
need to do this and this.
Holy moly, they've just spentuh almost all they have on the
down payment and the monthlypayments.
There isn't that extra money todo those things for most
(12:52):
buyers.
So you want to make it perceivethe issue as a move-in ready,
uh, they don't have to do awhole bunch of expenses to make
it the way they want it.
Next one trust andtransparency.
Trust is another big factor.
Buyers pay more for what theyconfidently feel is a good home.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (13:15):
Yes.
So with our sellers, we try andgather as much information as
we can about the home, the ageof the appliances, the age of
the roof, what sorts ofimprovements have they done?
When did they do them?
I've had a made list of recentimprovements in the last five
(13:38):
years and what it costs.
Because if you've done them andyou've maintained the house,
that's showing the buyer thatthey can trust buying this home
because you've taken care of it.
The more information that youcan provide and double check,
the better they're going to feelabout it.
We have had sellers who goahead and have an inspection
(13:59):
done by an inspector, pay for itand provide it to an interested
buyer to review.
There are some downsides todoing that because if the
inspector does find somethingthat needs to be repaired or
replaced, I'm talking aboutstructural and safety items.
If they see that there's aproblem, you now have knowledge
(14:20):
of that.
And there's this disclosureform that you have to fill out
for the buyer, and you have todisclose that you know it.
You can't lie because theycould sue you.
You have to fix it if youchoose to, or you're probably
going to have to adjust theprice.
And it could be the fact thatthere are rodents under the
house.
I do have exterminators.
(14:41):
A lot of people don't.
So they find out nasty thingsare going on under there, and
that can be a very expensiverepair.
Are you willing to take therisk?
Have you been under your house?
Do you know the age of theroof?
Those are things the inspectormay discover.
If you get that inspectiondone, that really relieves the
(15:02):
buyer.
In high sellers' market, whereyou're getting, you know,
anywhere between five andtwenty-five or more offers on a
home.
The buyers would really like todo an inspection, but they know
if they do, you may chooseanother offer.
So they become very nervous,even if you've done a really
good job.
So those are things that youneed to have an informed realtor
(15:26):
who can help you waive and makea decision about what direction
you want to go in terms of howyou build this confidence in
your home.
But there are a lot of thingsyou can do.
Dennis Day - Co-host (15:39):
And the market has shifted.
Years ago, when there was twoweeks inventory, you could put
up a house and people wouldwaive everything, inspection,
this, that, that, and buy itsight on scene from the
internet.
It's not that same marketanymore.
There's three months ofinventory.
You've got to present a goodhome and build trust because the
(16:01):
competition is not as fierceright now.
The power of storytelling inevery home.
There are ways that sellers cantell a story that makes buyers
more interested and love thehome.
What do you think?
Judy Gratton - Co-host (16:20):
This is one of my favorite things we do
with the sellers.
Frequently, it's kind of oldschool, but there's a thing
called a home book that we canget from the title company that
has demographics for the areaand can tell you a lot about the
home.
We add to that a letter fromthe seller about why they bought
(16:40):
it.
Because I can't tell you howmany people will go, why are
they moving?
And so the seller, if they'llwrite a letter, we put it in the
front of that book.
I even upload it to thelisting.
So if the agent for the buyerwants to pass that on to the
buyer, they have some idea ofwho that person was living in
that hall and why they'releaving.
It can be things like, I lovemy neighborhood.
(17:02):
I we have a great communityhere.
We help each other, our kidsplay together, whatever it is.
I'm five minutes from BoulevardPark.
I walk down there all the time.
I go to the farmer's market indowntown.
These are the favorite things Ilove about my home.
And suddenly now there's astory around it.
(17:25):
And if they have pictures of,let's say they're selling in
late September and the flowersare gone from the spring and
summer, maybe they have abeautiful garden.
If we can put those picturestogether and display those in
the listing and in thathomebook, it shows people, it
tells a story about that homeand it suddenly becomes
(17:47):
something special instead ofjust a building.
Dennis Day - Co-host (17:49):
They're buying more than just drywall
and kitchen sink.
They're buying a lifestyle.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (17:57):
You can tell that story.
And that emotional connectionto that home is what we're
trying to achieve.
Dennis Day - Co-host (18:03):
We've given you six takeaways that
will improve.
Bottom line, first impressioncreates anchor value.
You drive up and you say, niceyard, love it.
The setting inside the home,does it smell neutral?
Are the walls in neutral paint,driving the scarcity, getting
to the point where people think,oh, there's going to be
(18:25):
competition for this.
Pricing is super important.
A move-in ready home, not aproject, is going to help sell
that home.
Building trust with all thedisclosures.
Maybe a pre-inspection, makingit look well maintained.
(18:46):
And the story building of thelifestyle.
Think like a buyer.
Our psychology isn't aboutfooling people, it's about
creating environment that buyerswill fall in love with.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (19:00):
I've never really been into
commercial real estate becausethere's no emotion in that.
Whereas here, it's all aboutthe people.
It's always been about thepeople and how they feel.
We have some incredibly greatstories and some sad stories.
It's always a new day in realestate.
Dennis Day - Co-host (19:20):
That wraps up today's session on getting
your edge in six ways to get atop dollar for your home.
If you're considering selling,reach out to us.
We can help you all six ofthese.
Our information is free.
Homes are not just brick andmortar, they're about a feeling,
(19:43):
an emotional connection.
Hit the like button if youenjoy this information.
Share this with a friend.
If you are thinking aboutdownsizing, reach out to us and
we are happy to givecomplimentary ideas on how to
support your next transition.
(20:03):
Hope to talk to you soon.
Thank you so much, local realestate expert Judy Grattan.
I appreciate your time.
Welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Dennis Day, andI'm here with Getting Your Edge
How to Downsize Your Home.
I'm with my real estate expertand local advisor, Judy Grattan.
How goes it today, Judy?
We have an excellent show foryou today.
We are local downsizingexperts, and we have a show
(00:24):
called The Psychology of SellingYour Home.
And what we're talking aboutare six strategies that will
help you sell your home for topdollar.
That's the goal.
You want to get the most andbest you can.
This is an investment.
Let's talk about those sixthings.
(00:44):
Number one, there's an oldsaying, you don't get a second
chance for a first impression.
What does that mean for homesellers?
Judy Gratton - Co-host (00:54):
What does that mean?
People form their impressionsfrom the minute they drive into
the neighborhood, which youdon't have a lot of control
over, but especially when theypull up in front of your home.
If your home looks inviting,clean, landscape trees trimmed
back so it's not overgrown, toysand different items put back
(01:18):
where they belong or notvisible, that is a good first
impression when they walk up tothe front door.
If the door knob is newer andnot dull and worn out or painted
over, if you have a kick plateis that shiny and new, not
spotted and tarnished, and doyou have a nice welcome mat that
(01:40):
makes them feel like they'recoming into a place that they
want to see?
So get a new welcome mat.
Make sure your doorknob is new,make sure the door is clean and
painted, not chip.
Things like that.
That helps with the firstimpression.
If you can put some flowersout, seasonal flowers, that's
always a plus.
Dennis Day - Co-host (02:00):
As a seller, you need to think like
buyers think.
How can I make the impressionthat leads people to believe
they're going to be welcome andthey're going to love this home?
I can visualize myself livinghere.
It's so important.
Basic landscaping can make allthe difference.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (02:21):
What are your goals about selling this
home?
Let's say that you aredownsizing and you have not been
able to maintain the home for aperiod of time, either because
physically, emotionally,financially, you just can't do
it.
If it has items that need to berepaired or it's really dated,
that is going to affect theprice of the home.
(02:44):
What is your goal?
Do you want to sell it in thecondition that it's in and just
be able to move on?
Or do you want to invest somemoney in it up front to make it
look better, to bring in ahigher purchase price?
And those are things thatpeople like you and I, Dennis,
can present to them.
This is what you could expectto get in the condition that
(03:05):
it's in right now.
This is what you could expectto get if you did some fresh
paint and updated some of thethings.
Is it really worth it to dothat?
And I've had people say, I'vegot to put granite countertops
in before my home.
First of all, granite's goneout of fashion now.
But in addition to that, why?
If the counters are notobnoxiously bad, what kind of
(03:27):
return can you expect to get onthat investment when you sell?
And we have reports that we canprovide them with that will
show what some of the differentremodel ideas are and how much
of it you can expect to recoup.
It's really important that youhave someone working with you,
an agent who understands theecology and pricing.
Dennis Day - Co-host (03:50):
First impression, you only get one
shot.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (03:53):
I can't tell you how many times I pulled
up in front of a house withpotential buyers, and they take
one look and go, nope, notinterested, and move on.
That's what happens if yourfirst impression isn't a good
one.
Dennis Day - Co-host (04:06):
Setting the stage for an emotional
connection.
Yes.
It's not about your stuff, it'sabout helping the buyers
imagine a life in your home.
What things can they do?
Judy Gratton - Co-host (04:21):
This is something I wanted to bring up.
When someone comes to see yourhome, studies say that they are
already 80% there on buying yourhome.
You're in the location theywant, your home is the size they
think they want, and it's in aprice range they're comfortable
with.
So all you have to deal with isjust the 20% more to get them
(04:44):
over the hump to make an offer.
One of the biggest things thatare really hard for realtors to
discuss is what does the homesmell like?
And sometimes it's things likepet odors, and those must be
addressed.
That will turn people offfaster than anything when they
come into a home and it smells,you will lose a lot of money if
(05:08):
you don't address that.
Odors are really important.
I would suggest having someoneyou trust come in and tell them
you want a really honest opinionabout does my home smell.
One of the simplest things todo to combat that, not go out
and buy a bunch of airfresheners and plug them in all
over the house because peoplego, what's wrong with it?
(05:29):
Sometimes it can just becomeoverpowering.
Instead, paint a wall.
Even if it's only one wall, thesmell of fresh paint is
positive in people's minds.
And they don't go, well, whydoes it smell like fresh paint?
It smells like fresh paintbecause the seller cares enough
to have done something.
Could just be that the carpet'srolled it.
(05:49):
You need to address odors.
Start packing.
You're moving anyway.
And the psychology of sellingyour home is it is no longer
your home.
It is now your product.
Ideally, people don't putwrinkled dresses on mannequins.
If they sell the dress, thesame thing is true with your
home.
(06:10):
Pack up your personalbelongings, political or
religious artifacts because itopens your home up to more
people who may not agree withthose things.
So you stay very middle of theroad, you clean it up to the
best of your ability, you takedown the items and excess
furniture.
It's not bad for a home to bevacant when you put it on the
(06:32):
market.
You should have the home deepcleaned.
And that means the oven, thestovetop, the inside of the
refrigerator, the rungs insideof the windows where you slide
the windows back and forth, orthe sliding glass door, the
windows and the doorsthemselves.
Everything should be clean andsmell clean.
(06:52):
And then the staging isbeginning to fall by the wayside
because it's become incrediblyexpensive.
And it can be anywhere fromthree to five to $10,000 or more
to stage a home.
That initial payment is goodfor 30 days, then you have to
pay rent on the furniture,considering that our market time
(07:16):
is longer now than it was inthe past.
That can become an issue.
I know many realtors who arehappier with a vacant home or
one with very little furniturein it.
And then they're having itdigitally staged.
Furniture is put into thephotographs that go onto the
multiple listing service thatshow some ideas of what can be
(07:39):
done.
And they also disclose thatit's digitally staged.
Interestingly enough, I'm notsure which of the large sites it
is.
It might be realtor.com thatactually has a feature where you
can cut the staging out of aphotograph so you can see what
the vacant room looks like.
So we're beginning to see ashift in that thought process
(08:00):
around selling a home.
Don't feel that you absolutelyhave to have staging, but it
needs to be as clean as you canget it.
Your personal items need to beremoved.
The majority of the furnitureneeds to be removed.
Now, I'm a bit different thansome realtors because if you're
still living in that home, yes,you live there.
(08:22):
So start moving it out thatway.
You must leave some paths inthe garage to get to the
electrical panel and the hotwater tank.
Should an inspection be done,but we have to be realistic
here.
Give people the opportunity tohave some grace in their
transition.
Start moving out to the garage,but clean it up to the best of
(08:44):
your ability.
Have everything as clean as youcan get it.
Cocky around the sinks, tubs,and toilets.
Make sure that's clean and notmoldy or missing.
Those sorts of things willindicate to a buyer that you
care and they start feeling morecomfortable that they could put
(09:04):
their furniture in this home.
Dennis Day - Co-host (09:07):
When we first decided to move our home,
we start packing stuff.
And we had three bedrooms.
One of them was where we putall our pack stuff.
You can't fill up a room andthen expect people to be
interested in your home.
So we put it in storage.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (09:23):
And there are those pods now that
they'll come and pick up.
And so that's definitelysomething you can do.
But at the very least, startmoving it into boxes out in the
garage and make sure that youleave some room to get to the
things that people have to getto.
Dennis Day - Co-host (09:37):
Another factor in the psychology is you
want to create the perception ofscarcity and competition.
Pricing strategies matter.
Sometimes listing slightlybelow the market value creates a
sense of competition.
More people coming in.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (09:57):
If it looks like a good deal, and if
you can generate a lot ofinterest around the open house,
you have a lot of people inthere.
Whenever there are a lot ofpeople in a home, they begin to
feel this sense of urgency thatsomeone else is going to buy it
out from under them.
That psychology works in yourfavor as a seller because
(10:19):
they'll be more anxious whenthey write that offer.
The competition thing comesinto play at that point.
That is up to your realtor tohelp you develop that type of
environment.
And then the other one is turnon all the lights and open all
the curtains.
Uh, it is the kiss of death towalk into a cold home with all
(10:40):
the curtains drawn.
So they may live like that, butthey don't necessarily want
that.
Dennis Day - Co-host (10:45):
There's a perception of the effort versus
reward.
Most homebuyers don't want towalk into a project.
Some buyers, perhaps one is acontractor or has experience
with tools and remodeling,looking for that deal.
You want the highest and bestprice, you don't want your home
(11:08):
to be like a project.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (11:15):
There are a lot of people who are
looking for investmentproperties to flip.
They're looking for the lowestprice, and they don't care how
much work goes into it, they'regonna flip it and hopefully make
a profit.
So if your home is in need ofrepair, you're gonna attract
that.
Or we have a lot of people whoare looking for investment
(11:36):
properties that then become anAirbnb or a rental property.
They're willing to put someelbow grease in, but then there
are other people who don't havethe skills and would have to
hire all the work done and theyjust don't want to do it.
Who do you want to attract?
To have the whole move inready, paint colors is another
(11:56):
huge thing.
So if you're thinking ofselling and you're really into a
certain color, you may considerreplacing things that are that
color neutral, a light, notstark white, a nice quiet,
beige, soft gray, uh, off-whitesort of a thing, cream colors.
(12:16):
That's what's going to allowpeople to see their own
creations in that home.
Think like a buyer.
Think like a buyer.
It is your product if you wantto sell it.
Dennis Day - Co-host (12:30):
Most buyers are really stretching
themselves financially to comeinto a home and then see I need
to put in flooring, I need newcarpeting, I need to paint, I
need to do this and this.
Holy moly, they've just spentuh almost all they have on the
down payment and the monthlypayments.
There isn't that extra money todo those things for most
(12:52):
buyers.
So you want to make it perceivethe issue as a move-in ready,
uh, they don't have to do awhole bunch of expenses to make
it the way they want it.
Next one trust andtransparency.
Trust is another big factor.
Buyers pay more for what theyconfidently feel is a good home.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (13:15):
Yes.
So with our sellers, we try andgather as much information as
we can about the home, the ageof the appliances, the age of
the roof, what sorts ofimprovements have they done?
When did they do them?
I've had a made list of recentimprovements in the last five
(13:38):
years and what it costs.
Because if you've done them andyou've maintained the house,
that's showing the buyer thatthey can trust buying this home
because you've taken care of it.
The more information that youcan provide and double check,
the better they're going to feelabout it.
We have had sellers who goahead and have an inspection
(13:59):
done by an inspector, pay for itand provide it to an interested
buyer to review.
There are some downsides todoing that because if the
inspector does find somethingthat needs to be repaired or
replaced, I'm talking aboutstructural and safety items.
If they see that there's aproblem, you now have knowledge
(14:20):
of that.
And there's this disclosureform that you have to fill out
for the buyer, and you have todisclose that you know it.
You can't lie because theycould sue you.
You have to fix it if youchoose to, or you're probably
going to have to adjust theprice.
And it could be the fact thatthere are rodents under the
house.
I do have exterminators.
(14:41):
A lot of people don't.
So they find out nasty thingsare going on under there, and
that can be a very expensiverepair.
Are you willing to take therisk?
Have you been under your house?
Do you know the age of theroof?
Those are things the inspectormay discover.
If you get that inspectiondone, that really relieves the
(15:02):
buyer.
In high sellers' market, whereyou're getting, you know,
anywhere between five andtwenty-five or more offers on a
home.
The buyers would really like todo an inspection, but they know
if they do, you may chooseanother offer.
So they become very nervous,even if you've done a really
good job.
So those are things that youneed to have an informed realtor
(15:26):
who can help you waive and makea decision about what direction
you want to go in terms of howyou build this confidence in
your home.
But there are a lot of thingsyou can do.
Dennis Day - Co-host (15:39):
And the market has shifted.
Years ago, when there was twoweeks inventory, you could put
up a house and people wouldwaive everything, inspection,
this, that, that, and buy itsight on scene from the
internet.
It's not that same marketanymore.
There's three months ofinventory.
You've got to present a goodhome and build trust because the
(16:01):
competition is not as fierceright now.
The power of storytelling inevery home.
There are ways that sellers cantell a story that makes buyers
more interested and love thehome.
What do you think?
Judy Gratton - Co-host (16:20):
This is one of my favorite things we do
with the sellers.
Frequently, it's kind of oldschool, but there's a thing
called a home book that we canget from the title company that
has demographics for the areaand can tell you a lot about the
home.
We add to that a letter fromthe seller about why they bought
(16:40):
it.
Because I can't tell you howmany people will go, why are
they moving?
And so the seller, if they'llwrite a letter, we put it in the
front of that book.
I even upload it to thelisting.
So if the agent for the buyerwants to pass that on to the
buyer, they have some idea ofwho that person was living in
that hall and why they'releaving.
It can be things like, I lovemy neighborhood.
(17:02):
I we have a great communityhere.
We help each other, our kidsplay together, whatever it is.
I'm five minutes from BoulevardPark.
I walk down there all the time.
I go to the farmer's market indowntown.
These are the favorite things Ilove about my home.
And suddenly now there's astory around it.
(17:25):
And if they have pictures of,let's say they're selling in
late September and the flowersare gone from the spring and
summer, maybe they have abeautiful garden.
If we can put those picturestogether and display those in
the listing and in thathomebook, it shows people, it
tells a story about that homeand it suddenly becomes
(17:47):
something special instead ofjust a building.
Dennis Day - Co-host (17:49):
They're buying more than just drywall
and kitchen sink.
They're buying a lifestyle.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (17:57):
You can tell that story.
And that emotional connectionto that home is what we're
trying to achieve.
Dennis Day - Co-host (18:03):
We've given you six takeaways that
will improve.
Bottom line, first impressioncreates anchor value.
You drive up and you say, niceyard, love it.
The setting inside the home,does it smell neutral?
Are the walls in neutral paint,driving the scarcity, getting
to the point where people think,oh, there's going to be
(18:25):
competition for this.
Pricing is super important.
A move-in ready home, not aproject, is going to help sell
that home.
Building trust with all thedisclosures.
Maybe a pre-inspection, makingit look well maintained.
(18:46):
And the story building of thelifestyle.
Think like a buyer.
Our psychology isn't aboutfooling people, it's about
creating environment that buyerswill fall in love with.
Judy Gratton - Co-host (19:00):
I've never really been into
commercial real estate becausethere's no emotion in that.
Whereas here, it's all aboutthe people.
It's always been about thepeople and how they feel.
We have some incredibly greatstories and some sad stories.
It's always a new day in realestate.
Dennis Day - Co-host (19:20):
That wraps up today's session on getting
your edge in six ways to get atop dollar for your home.
If you're considering selling,reach out to us.
We can help you all six ofthese.
Our information is free.
Homes are not just brick andmortar, they're about a feeling,
(19:43):
an emotional connection.
Hit the like button if youenjoy this information.
Share this with a friend.
If you are thinking aboutdownsizing, reach out to us and
we are happy to givecomplimentary ideas on how to
support your next transition.
(20:03):
Hope to talk to you soon.
Thank you so much, local realestate expert Judy Grattan.
I appreciate your time.
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