Perfection Doesn't Exist
But The Idea Of It Sells
In this world that feels like it's turned upside down one would think that real estate would be paralyzed. Instead, the South Florida housing market feels like a participant in a marathon. I for one feel like I'm out of breath at times! The last five months only had a minimal slow down in late March and through mid-April but as people linger at home more and more their desire to find the "perfect home" has grown exponentially. Presently, buyer demand has outpaced the number of homes for sale in the City Beautiful. So what's selling? Picture-perfect is selling.
Buyers in the market right now don't relish home improvement projects. They want to walk into a Pinterest-worthy home with a pool and find a respite from the outside stressors. In the last two months, we've had several properties come on the market and go under contract quicker than the average days on market.
What do these properties have in common? The majority of these homes make buyers feel like they are walking onto the pages of a magazine. This is thanks, in large part, to impeccable staging and engaging photography. We’ve quickly gone under contract with new construction and older homes that exude style and charm. Presently, we are negotiating three offers for one home. It was staged to perfection and has amazing light and great architectural details.
It’s not to say that these homes are perfect. Barring the new construction home, they each require some updating, at some point. But the buyers become enamored with clutter-free, highly coordinated styling that is portrayed. Some of my sellers have lovely homes and balk when I mention staging and/or repairs. I never suggest it because I don’t find their homes attractive or I’m judgmental of their clutter, otherwise known as life-happens-here aesthetic. I suggest staging and decluttering because I have the pulse of what buyers expect and what sells properties swiftly and at the right price.
It is my job to strategically market homes and negotiate the best possible outcome for my clients, but it is so much more effective when we showcase their property in the best possible light.