Most real estate agents who’ve been in the business for any amount of time will tell you that it is far too easy to fall in love with a home. It’s not wise but sometimes it can’t be helped and once it snags you, it’s over – you’re going to buy it.
The flipside are homebuyers who fall in hate with a home. The minute they step through the door something disagreeable hits their senses and they can’t get out of the home fast enough.
Every day we watch clients get turned off by ugly furniture or icky paint colors or they get hooked by clever home staging, throwing their common sense to the wind and either buying or turning down a home for all the wrong reasons.
Read on to become forewarned so you can shop smart for your next home.
Wall color
There are books written about the psychology of color – that’s how important it is in marketing anything for sale. Smart home stagers understand this concept and choose wall colors that will appeal to the emotions of the masses.
It’s a challenge to look beyond this tactic, whether the colors are amazing or downright ugly. I’ve actually sold homes that had nothing that the buyer claims he or she wanted, but the wall colors were appealing.
Whether you love the color or despise it, keep in mind that it’s just paint and for less than $1,000 you can repaint a 1,000 square foot home.
Look beyond the color to what is truly important- is there enough square footage, is the flow right, does the community offer the amenities you require?
Furniture
Stagers are the masters of deception, which is why staging a home is such a smart idea. For buyers, however, it may feel like a trap. If you’ve ever purchased a newly constructed home or rented an apartment you no doubt visited the models first, right?
Many a buyer or tenant has been lured into renting or buying based solely on the model. It’s a combination of all three items we address in this post but the furnishings are usually the clincher.
Then, when it comes time to move into your new home, reality hits: your furniture doesn’t at all make your home look like the model.
The little things
Among a home stagers’ tools is a warehouse full of mirrors, pillows, throws, rugs and more. These are the little things – the accessories ― that make the interior design really pop.
Again, whether you love them or hate them, they may speak to you. As we said earlier, it is important to look beyond these enticements to the true “bones” of the home.
In an overheated housing market, homes are moving very quickly. It’s easy to get carried away in the frenzy. Remind yourself to take a deep breath and view the home with a critical eye.
All the furniture and accessories will be gone when you move in. What you’ll be left with is a home that either works for you or doesn’t.
If you keep your heart and emotions in check, you’ll find one that is perfect for you.
