✨ How this psychological effect impacts the sale of your listings ✨

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 63% of buyers are more willing to visit a home in person if it looks appealing to them in the online photos. But WHY is this the case?

Psychologists tell us that first impressions happen in mere seconds and create a mental shortcut known as the "halo effect." If buyers perceive the home as clean, well-maintained, and inviting, they instinctively assume that the entire property is in good condition — even before inspecting further.

During their house tour, their brain will then notice the things that CONFIRM this initial impression, whether good or bad. They won't notice the nice view when their eyes and brain stop at the curtain rod hanging lopsided by a loose nail, or the missing section of trim on the dirty carpet the seller never got around to replacing.

But the opposite is also true. If the first impressions are powerfully aspirational, clean, and well-maintained, they will keep noticing examples to confirm that initial thought. This means a positive initial impression can continue throughout the tour, setting the tone for the entire showing by making buyers feel more confident about a purchase.

Here are the essentials of this "Pre-Staging" phase:

• Deep Clean: Ensure the house is spotless. Every inch should look fresh. As I like to tell sellers, "This bathroom floor needs to be clean enough to eat off of!"

• Fix Maintenance Issues: Leaky faucets, squeaky doors, and peeling paint may seem minor, but they raise red flags for buyers and disrupt the positive "halo effect," causing their brain to search for more red flags.

• Declutter and Depersonalize: Remove personal items to let buyers imagine themselves living there. Removing too many things is counter-productive, however, and makes the house look like a bland furniture store.

NOTE: The actual "Staging" process comes in AFTER these essentials, where we bridge the gap between looking too sterile and looking and feeling fabulous to buyers.

Because of a strategic consultation, this room stood out to buyers as being clean, fresh, and easy to maintain, continuing their positive "halo effect" experience. Without staging, statistically this house could have sold for $4,000–$24,000 less. [68% of homes sold for 6-23% MORE than their unstaged neighbor's home. (RESA 2021)] 💙