The psychology of understanding your buyers needs

It is essential to understand what it is that the buyer is looking for when they are searching for a new home before you can begin to prepare your own home for sale. Why is this important? Research has shown that buyers will look for a home which is in keeping with their personality, or with their idea of how they wish to be perceived by others.

In essence then, they buy with their emotions and they are looking for that special place that they see themselves living in, and aspiring to the kind of life which you, the seller, are living.  As human beings we naturally aspire to greater things the latest fashions, trends, furniture, colour schemes etc:  home improvements continues to be the No1 pastime of the British homeowner, and whilst many have the time & inclination there are also a growing number of people for whom DIY just does not appeal, or they are ‘time poor’ but affluent professional people who expect to purchase nothing but the best with nothing to alter or change because its exactly what they have been looking for! …..so when these buyers look for their next new property they are looking for a home that immediately ticks all the right boxes as they proceed with the viewing.

Making an entrance

No one knows better than a homestaging specialist, how to interpret those all important first few seconds when approaching or entering a property that is for sale. The buyer is like a horse with blinkers and will instinctively know whether it looks & feels right from the moment they step over the threshold. As a seller you must prepare for this moment from the instant you decide to put your home on the market until the viewings are over and the offers are accepted.

So here are some common mistakes that sellers can make and, more importantly, how you can avoid them!

Clutter – personal items which overcrowd the space making the property appear smaller than it is - We all live with clutter to some degree in our homes, but while it is being actively marketed, it must appear like a show home, organised, elegant and calming, so no wet towels on the landing or unmade beds & washing on the floor in piles for example. Remember, less clutter is more space when you are selling your home.

Misuse of colour - strong colour statements which may be to personal taste should be avoided, and more neutral schemes introduced with splashes of colour used to accent the space used. This technique will appeal to a far greater number of buyers than those who are prepared to redecorate every room as soon as they move in. Contrary to many articles seen, you do not have to paint all the walls magnolia, one simple feature wall papered or repainted can create a special focal point to a room without the need to overdo.

Lack of cleanliness -   It’s a pet hate for buyers, and they zoom in on grubby grouting, cobwebs and less than sparkling clean cookers, windows, worktops and all dusty surfaces! Why because they will assume that the property has not been well looked after and if small things are not clean and working, then they will wonder what larger problems are afoot. In the trade, we call it looking for Red Flags! So don’t give the buyer any excuse to find a way to bring your asking price down and clean till it gleams….

Mixing Furniture styles or improper Placement of key pieces - It is tempting to push all the furniture to the edges of a room in order to make it look larger than it is for the marketing photographs, but in reality, this is not the way we place furniture naturally and particularly in communal rooms, where one should arrange the rooms around a focal point. Mixing furniture styles together is not easy on the eye and creates confusion. Eclectic pieces are fine in moderation when coordinated correctly, but avoid themes like Spanish in the Lounge and Tibetan in the bedroom as this does not appeal to the majority of buyer’s tastes.  The most important thing to remember when selling your home is the flow from one room to another, if the buyer cannot progress without bumping into things behind doors, or knocking their head on your beams because they are hung with your collection of tankards then they will assume there is no not enough space for them in this house and the sale is potentially lost.

Being well prepared will mean selling faster & for more profit

For some people preparing their home for sale themselves can be daunting task, given that there is so much to do & so little time to do it. Once the decision has been made to move, you will want to  instruct your agent to value as soon as possible but don’ t be tempted to place your home on the market without preparing correctly first.  To maximise your chances of getting the highest price, you can do much yourself to improve your property if you plan well in advance, you can even hire in a professional homestager to help if you are time poor or not sure what will add real value when preparing. A written consultation will provide you with enough information to do the DIY jobs yourself and give you a complete assessment, giving you an estimation of anticipated costs and local suppliers. If your budget allows, you can ask for complete assistance including dressing the property for you, hiring furniture where appropriate and even shopping for those all important accessories & fresh linens.

Price and service varies from one consultant to another so be sure to look out for qualified homestagers who belong to a professional homestaging body such as The Homestaging Network.  


Contributor: Dee Ramage homestaging consultant

Preparing Your Property to Sell