We have all heard the expression ‘elephant in the room’. Meaning a subject that is reasonably obvious but people are reluctant to speak up about. Usually the elephant in the room creates an awkward and sweaty palmed hush that causes us polite Canadians to pull back a bit.
If you have ever toured homes as a buyer before, you may have met the elephant that is the subject of this blog.
In this case, the elephant in the room is the seller sitting in the living room.
We tip toe past them as the buyer’s say how nice everything is. They say how nice the space is and how lovely the wall paper borders in the kitchen are. We smile, say some more nice things and then head over to have a look at the bedroom level.
Or worse, the buyers say nothing.
They retreat into stealth mode and view the home with the mission of not-offending the seller who may or may not (but likely may) be listening to how the showing is going. The silence is deafening as the showing plods along with all the awkwardness of a grade 8 dance.
From the seller’s perspective, it really is no big deal. From the buyer’s perspective, it really is quite the opposite. It is larger than a big deal. And here is why:
It is extremely difficult for there to be 2 different owners of the same home in the same room at the same time prior to an offer being in place.
For a buyer to consider buying a home, they need to achieve a necessary comfort level. To gain that comfort level, they have to be able to emotionally unpack and visualize their furniture, their kids, their stuff and them spending time in that room and enjoying their space. Notice all the “theirs” in that sentence?
If there is an elephant in the room, there is not much room left for the buyer and all their baggage. Another reason why it’s important to vacate is the buyer’s Realtor needs to be able to talk openly about the home. They know how to handle objections and provide info on something that turns a buyer’s concern into an “ok…I didn’t know that. That’s ok then.”
And after nearly 40 years of combined experience, we can assure you of one thing. No talking = no communication = lost opportunity.
So, if you are looking to sell, talk to your Realtor about how best to prepare for showings. And never underestimate the power and importance of the psychological side of buying and selling a home.
Thank-you for visiting. We are here when you are ready so feel free to reach out to us anytime!
THEbTEAM
(…photo credit belongs to Chris Christensen. You can find him here: amateurtraveler.com)