Comments on: How Design Psychology Can Help You Lure Buyers

By: Toni Harper

Toni Harper — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:09:33 +0000

Thank you for the excellent article

By: Use Design Psychology to Find Your Dream Home : Move Trends Real Estate Blog - The Leader in Online Real Estate : Move Trends Real Estate Blog

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:35:52 +0000

[...] Design Program is the first university-based course in design psychology. (Source: Realtor.org, MSN) – Marsha Webster, Move Staff Writer Email: Marsha Webster@Move.com addthis_url = [...]

By: deavid

deavid — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:30:41 +0000

Thanks For great post.

By: Liz Harrison

Liz Harrison — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 08:20:19 +0000

Using psychology to sell products is age-old…merchandising. And selling a home is selling a product. Professional Stagers are merchandisers and good ones will have an understanding of the seller’s target market. There are universal things that buyers look for…warmth, comfort, spaciousness. Someone commented earlier that many buyers don’t know what they want until they see it. SO true…or until they feel it. Stagers can identify the strengths of a property and use special techniques to highlight those to create a universal style. Many of my Realtor colleagues like to have me tell the clients what they don’t want to hear about the wrong colors or furniture layout and explain the ROI that making those changes provides. As the “3rd party”, I am often viewed as more objective and the relationship between agent and seller can be preserved. Some agents hire me as part of their listing package so those issues get addressed early on so the home have a better chance of selling quickly. I’d encourage any Realtor to create a working relationship with a good, professional stager!

By: Fran

Fran — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 06:42:01 +0000

Jen,
Some sellers are so funny, they are trying to sell their home but are still emotionally attached to the point where they don’t realize it won’t belong to them when they sell it. They seem to want someone just like them to move in the “their” home, and take over where they left off.
I suggest that you hold a Realtor tour, and ask each Realtor to fill out a short questionaire. Ask simple questions that require a simple response, and leave a comment area at the bottom for free thoughts to flow. Questions you could ask are “Is the home priced right? Are ammenities sufficient and desirable? What would you suggest would sell this home? Do you have a buyer who might be interested? Would you like to make an appointment to tour with your buyer?” I do this on my listings, and it helps to show these things to the seller when negotiating a change/upgrade/ repaint/whatever to the home. Perhaps your seller truly can’t “afford” paint. She could go to Lowe’s or Home Depot and peruse the returned/unwanted paints. These are sold for a fraction of the cost of new paint, and if a person is diligent, she can find some nice neutral colors. I painted an entire 1320 sq foot home for about $73 last year by cruising the returned paint area for several weeks. (15 gallons of really good paint, at an average of $4.86 per gallon!)
The comments you will receive from Realtors, coupled with the counseling of your seller (by you) that if she really wants to sell this home, she will need to try to think like a buyer and let go of her emotional attachment with the paint scheme. Do you think something like this just might do the trick? Worth a shot. Best of luck to you!

By: David

David — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:36:45 +0000

I’ve found that when walking into a home (in Las Vegas) that’s white with all the foreclosures it instantly says RENTAL. Whether it’s a foreclosure, short sale, or resale if a home has a nuetral color or non jarring color scheme it’s much more desirable. The new beige here is a very pale warm yellow. It plays off well with making a space feel larger, clean, cheery, and it fits in with about every decorating scheme as oposed to those that have dark, dirty, colors. The worst is any form of green with the word Sage in it. too easy to seem dirty and it’s about 3-4 years past being in style. The other biggest turn off for buyers on color are the stock builder basic or off the shelf of the reno center cabinets. Painting them White is an easy fix as they are replaced by most buyers even in these times as soon as they move in. Light colored wood is the worst as no matter what kind, or whether it’s on the floor or as cabinets it looks cheap.

By: Michelle Kolano

Michelle Kolano — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:33:08 +0000

Jen,
I totally emphathize but the cold hard fact is we have to tell our sellers what they don’t want to hear. We cannot afford to take a listing that doesn’t sell and it’s a disservice to our sellers. The presentation is critical and individual; sometimes they need to see all the buyer feedback forms, othertimes, another professional can come in and deliver the bad news. It’s time for the seller to get invested in this process and demonstrate she really wants to sell.

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:39:48 +0000

I am having a heck of a time selling a property, and I KNOW it has to do with the horrible paint technique/colors used. I have gotten several comments but when I suggested to the seller she paint it neutral she about bit my head off. I guess I am hoping maybe you can help me figure out a persuasive way to tell her — or do I just tell her point blank — if you want to sell it paint it neutral. She basically said she “cant afford it” and that as long as she is living there she is going to leave it the way she wants it. I need to get really creative with this house if I am ever going to sell it…any ideas?! Clutter is not an issue, and its clean, just needs something to make it POP and appeal to more buyers…mind you this home has been through many realtors and on the market going on 2.5 years!!!

By: Chris Michaud

Chris Michaud — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:21:08 +0000

There are lots of factors that go into the purchase of anything: houses, cars, a new dress… I have found that color CAN play a role, cleanliness, staging, etc.; they are all factors that can facilitate a buyer to purchase. Right now we specialize in REO foreclosure properties. To investors sometimes the more “trash” in a property, the better – for them. they see more “value-added.” So, it all comes down to the perspective of the buyer. Moreover, I have found after dealing with buyers and sellers for the past 30 years that buyers will NOT compromise on their needs, bu they will compromise on their “wants” – those things they can live without.

Can you get MORE for a pristine well appointed property? Of course! When you buy a new car, do you buy the “dusty” one, or the one that is all shined and sparkling? It doesn’t mean the other won’t sell; it just may not sell for as much.

Chris M

By: Tanya Griffin

Tanya Griffin — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:35:46 +0000

Great post! Being a designer of 12 years and home stager for 6, I know first hand that psychology of design plays a big role in the overall feeling a person has when the walk into a room. The color of walls or position of furniture can be an instant turn off. As a stager and designer one must be mindful of the masses but still know how to strategically place items to ignite the senses of that special buyer or clients. Thats the beauty of being a stager and or designer we get to take control of the space and make people feel a certain way with out saying a word.