You may have already heard that even before effective marketing, the 1st and most important step is 'Getting The House Ready To Sell'. I want to take it one step further and say 'Create Inequality In Your Favor'. The reason I say this is because of this simple truth:

"Buyers will always buy a house based on price IF all other factors are created equal".

Another words, if you have 2 houses sitting next to each other that are virtually identical and one is priced $10,000 less which would you buy? The one that's less of course! Now... imagine that for some reason one of those houses appealed to your emotions more. You could just see yourself living in that house more than the other and it just 'felt' right. The experience of walking through that house created a more positive feeling. Think about it: The reason you chose your house probably had more to do with it 'feeling right' than solely because of price. People almost always make decisions based on emotions and then later justify those decisions with logic.

So... the 1st secret success tip to sell quickly for top dollar is to:

"Create inequality in your favor by making your house as EMOTIONALLY appealing as possible"!

Only after we do this can we shorten the days on market and expect to find a buyer willing to pay appraised value or close to it.

Note: Before we focus on inequality with emotional appeal, we have to make sure the Buyers basic expectations will be met. We don't want to go overboard, but we do need to make sure everything they get a great first impression from the outside (curb appeal), and find everything fully functional, updated, and neutral on the inside. The point here is to eliminate potential for negative emotions related to the house that will outweigh the positive ones.

3 Steps For Creating Emotional Appeal

1. Make sure they can visualize themselves living in the home

2. Touch their 5 senses in a positive way

3. Let them experience a feeling of importance

Step 1: Help them visualize a positive experience of living in the home

Your buyers need to visualize themselves living in the home without distractions from your own unique tastes and personal items. This is often the hardest step for sellers to take. This means you need to put away any personal photos, pictures and unique personal decorations, get rid of all clutter and keep your colors neutral throughout the house.

Once you have a 'neutral canvas', stage each room appropriately so a prospective buyer can imagine themselves experiencing their new life in this home. When you walk into the kitchen, bathrooms and master bedroom ask yourself "What Will Make My Buyer Imagine Themselves Living Here?" We'll want to influence what is typically most important to people (Family, Friends, Career, Love/Romance)

Here are some examples:

Kitchens:

* Set the table so they can see themselves eating with with their family

* Place a pitcher of water or lemonade on the counter w/ glasses so they can see themselves entertaining

Bathrooms:

* In the master - have a bottle of champagne with glasses on the tub

Bedrooms:

* Place a few toys on the floor of what could be the kids room (if vacant)

* In the master - have a small table by the bed with a couple hardback romance books

Step 2: To Fully "Experience" The House, Make Sure It Touches Their 5 Senses!

Sight: (See Step 1)

Taste: Leave some trays of Hershey kisses randomly around the house. (Chocolate naturally creates a good feeling in most people and will sub-consciously add to their positive experience)

Touch: When the buyer comes to see the house, make sure you let them stand on the welcome mat and open the front door themselves (make sure NO doorknobs stick!) Also have them take their shoes off when they come in so they can feel the clean floors and soft carpet

Smell: Make sure the house is odor free and you have some air fresheners around the house (keep them neutral - like clean linen)

Sound: Have a small stereo playing soft classical or relaxing music in the corner of a room

Step 3: Create A Feeling Of Importance

* If you have an office/den - have a small table with some business/success magazines

* In the living room - Have a small table with some good housekeeping magazines

* Whenever possible, make the front door very nice with a kick-plate, and handle deadbolt combo doorknob

* If there is a deck or back porch consider getting a hot tub for a couple hundred dollars to put there

* (Did you know that some people will offer a higher price because "this is a house someone with a hot tub would have?") In the backyard - have a hammock with an outdoor table next to it with a coaster and glass of lemonade

If you've done these things, you should expect to sell your house fast for the most a buyer is willing to pay! Now it's time to focus on Marketing and get those buyers into the house!

Source EZine