We just returned from a week long trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. We went with some friends of ours who had never been before so we had to “warn” them that the Big Island is VERY different from any of the other islands and is not exactly the best example of a lush tropical setting. If you’ve ever been to the Big Island, particularly on the Kona side, you know that this is the island with the active volcano and the landscape is mostly lava remnants. Despite the warning, I couldn’t help but notice that our friends were a little disappointed with what they saw as we drove from the Kona Airport to our resort.
During the drive, I had my husband tune into a local radio station that played Hawaiian music which helped set the mood and when we finally arrived at the resort and toured the grounds, the swaying palm trees, the balmy weather, the waterfalls and pools finally made our friends feel like they had “arrived in Hawaii”.
This got me thinking about how important the atmosphere is in our perception of things and in particular, how relevant this is to selling homes. It’s really all about the “feeling” we get upon arriving at the curb side, entering the house, and the emotional triggers the buyers get during the tour of the property. If they can feel that this could be the house they could live in, you’ve got them, hook, line & sinker. Home Staging helps you create that experience. From a properly maintained front yard to colorful flowers to a freshly painted, shiny front door, a welcoming entry, sparkling clean interior, tastefully furnished rooms and the fresh scent of the home – it’s an overall package that should never be overlooked, no matter the price range. Every home deserves to be debuted and showcased in its best condition so that buyers can’t help but feel the emotional connection that this is the house for them.
Take a good, long, objective look at your property for sale and ask yourself if you’ve created the right “feeling” that effortlessly pulls on your prospective buyers heartstrings.
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Aloha Alice,
Your post is very well put. People carry with them expectations that can inevitably sour the mood when they don’t find what their looking for. I completely understand your Big Island experience with your friends, I hear the complaint quite often. When it comes to home buyers, many times the decision to purchase a home happens with in the first few seconds of entering a property and is based almost entirely on their emotive connection to the space. Staging appeals the power of human emotion, and should not be overlooked as effective marketing.
Peace,
I really liked the way you combined your choice of words to get your reader to feel the amtosphere and emotion (mood) that you felt. You completely captured it. Great Blog.