This segment is part of a larger Virtual Live Event that we held in June 2021

The Gist:

Show experience is an essential part of selling a house, especially when it come down to the milestone of downsizing.

• When downsizing happens, the family is living in the house during the selling process most of the time.

• Sharon specializes in show experience, and dislikes buzzwords like “declutter” and “depersonalize”. These words have negative connotations. When the homeowner hears these words, they just shut off — they have fond memories about most of their belongings and it’s hard to let go of that.

When Sharon deals with downsizers, she makes sure that they understand the situation well. After all, they’re the ones who are making the sale and purchase!

• To make space for the new homeowners, Sharon sets a few goals for the present homeowner to turn the place into a more lovable one. It may be perfect for the current homeowner, but potential buyers don’t have the same sentiments about the belongings in the house.

• When she does a walk-and-talk consultation, she walks through all the areas of the home with the homeowners. She carries a notebook and takes notes about what needs to be changed. This may include changing lightbulbs so the warmth from the light is matching throughout the house.

• Good lighting is the secret of show homes. When you walk into a show home, they usually have 300% of the amount of lighting that you’re going to get in the spec version of that house. This is because they understand that good lighting works.

• This is why it’s important to have good lighting throughout your house before potential buyers view it. Everyone likes nice, bright spaces that are consistent.

Oftentimes, Sharon recommends neutralizing the colour of a room. A colour that may suit your family may not be preferable for a new family.

• It’s often said that you lose more people with colour than you gain. This is why Sharon has a list of “staging colours” that work well, and it’s always safe to pick one of these.

• It’s crucial for you as a homeowner to know where to focus your energy. You may think you need to do everything in order to be show-ready, but in reality you might need to focus on 5 out of the 10 things, and if you do them right the other 5 might not matter as much.

Showcasing is all about emphasizing the good points and de-emphasizing the ones that aren’t so good.

• A clean house— recently jet washed, clean windows— creates a positive impact in the mind of the buyers.

• The first thing Sharon focuses on is the front door and yard when it comes to curb appeal. These should be a reflection of the inside of the house too.

• If the outside looks inviting— if the grass is cut, the weeds are kept— people want to see the inside of your home.

• When buyers walk through the front door, they have about 5 seconds to decide whether they want to put an offer in on it.

• The smell is a crucial factor. No smell is the best smell for a show home. You may want to put a nice smell inside the house, but buyers may get suspicious if there’s something you’re trying to cover up.

When it comes to listing a vacant home, it is highly recommended to stage it.

• Since no one is living there, it’s totally empty which makes it difficult for buyers to imagine living there.

• Oftentimes, it’s enough if the main floor is done, so buyers can see where the kitchen table goes, the living room layout, the flow of the house, and they can get comfortable with that.

• 5% of buyers are not visual people. They don’t have an idea walking into an empty room as to what it could actually look like with furniture. Theres nothing about an empty room that can make you fall in love!

Ready to Get Started? 🏡

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