I just got back from about ten days away. As I wrote about in last week’s Monday Morning Match, I traveled up to Kalispell, Montana as I have done for many years in a row, to visit my Mom’s second home up there. Although it’s always awesome to go to Northwest Montana for a few days to visit, this time wasn’t exactly a leisure vacation. I went out to help my mother get her home ready to be listed and eventually sold to some lucky new family who will enjoy the quiet solitude and heavenly views.
As a Realtor now for over 24 years, I have sold my own house once but that was 22 years ago. I remember the fun parts of moving but clearly had forgotten a lot of the “not so fun” parts.
A few days last week quickly reminded me of the stress and anxiety that selling a house can cause a homeowner. Between the physical labor involved, there is also a tremendous emotional toll in the process. Trying to manage the process was physically taxing but keeping my mother in the loop via text messages, FaceTime video chats, and phone calls certainly tested the emotional challenge.
While I don’t claim to know everyone’s back story and why someone might choose to sell their homes, I wanted to share some thoughts, anecdotes, or “friendly advice” from my own experience last week that you might remember when you go to sell your house or perhaps could share a few of these insights with your next few clients.
It Starts with Empathy
A good Realtor’s first point of inquiry would be to find out the Seller’s urgency. “How soon are you looking to get it on the market?” or “How soon do you want to be done with the process?” would be great questions to ask.
Or course, answers could vary greatly from one Seller to the next based on their motivation for moving. It could be something positive, like maybe a new job, a new baby, or a wedding? Or it could have some negative vibes such as death, divorce, foreclosure, or downsizing?
Determining the urgency and motivation is critical in and sales situation but after that, it’s all about having empathy with the Sellers.
em·pa·thy/ˈempəTHē/noun
the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
But look carefully at the word empathy.
“Empathy”
If you look close enough, you will start to see the PATH in the middle that you might want to follow…
Patience – Trust me, not everything is going to be easy. Things won’t happen as planned. You probably have more stuff than you thought. I think it helps to take things slowly and truly put a plan in place. This is where the urgency will play a big role in many of the decisions the Seller and their team (Realtor, family, service providers, etc.) will make.
The more time you have the better but that doesn’t mean you need to drag out the process. Talk to your clients about work needed, repairs or renovations to be handled prior to hitting the active market, and what “being active” even means as far as showings and public access. Sometimes waiting too long could end up costing the Seller money because the market could shift or more immediate competition could come into play in the neighborhood or price point.
This past week, my brothers and I worked hard cleaning the place up but we also took our time to make sure the job was done properly as well as to not over-exert ourselves. Seems strange but we don’t seem to have the same energy and stamina that we did back when Mom and Dad bought the place. We tackled each job around the house with passion and purpose but laughed and shared some fun stories along the way. In the end, we hope our patience with the process will make a difference.
Appreciation – As bittersweet as it was to pack up her home, it was easy to be thankful for the last 26 years that she/we have been able to enjoy this beautiful place. The memories will last a lifetime. The views from the master bedroom of the Swan Mountains at sunrise and being able to see the distant mountain peaks of far off but nearby Glacier National Park will be etched into all of our heads. The relationships with Mom’s Montana friends like Vicki, and Susie. Longtime family friends and property caretakers, Jack & Tracey, and their kids and grandchildren will certainly be etched into our hearts.
To paraphrase the old bumper sticker, “Don’t be sad it’s over. Be thankful it happened.”
Time – Sure, the stats show that more homes sell in the summer months than in the winter months but that’s just a case of supply and demand. There are traditionally more Sellers putting their homes on the market in the summer (primarily due to school) but it still goes back to the questions of urgency and motivation. But I’m not talking about when you put the home on the market, I’m referring to the time it takes to get a house ready.
It’s easy to underestimate how much time it might take to unpack, clean, and stage a home for sale. It will be different if the house is vacant or the Seller will not be there as opposed to a Seller trying to live their life while potential buyers ask to interrupt that same life every time they want to see the house.
Things to consider when planning how much time it will take include trash services – what day is the house trash picked up or do you have other access to a trash facility? The convenience of donation places like Salvation Army, Goodwill, or some other local vendors? How much manpower do you have to get the house ready? Do you have time to hire professional cleaners?
This leads me to the final part of the “PATH“…
Help – Moving is not something you do on your own. I guess you could, but it just will be much easier with people helping. Luckily I was able to have my two brothers fly out mid-week and help with much of the heavy lifting (and cleaning). Sure, we got to enjoy some of the beauty of NW Montana (both the views and the brews) but we accomplished the 3Ds needed to get an entire house ready to hit the market; Dump, Donate or Display.
Old TVs and computers, phones, and VCRs went to the county dump.
We got to know Rudy at the Salvation Army and Mike at the Goodwill Donation Center on a first-name basis and Jack will be making a generous donation of books and office supplies to the local Veterans Hospital.
Finally, making sure the place looked great for the photos our Realtor would use meant subtle staging, professional cleaning, fresh flowers, and detailed vacuum lines on all carpets.
It’s a Transition, Not a Transaction
Brokers and boards of Realtors count transactions but the actual Buyers and Sellers in a real estate deal never think of it as a “transaction.” They appreciate it for what it is; a “transition” from one part of their lives to the next.
The fact that we as Realtors get to be part of that journey should be looked at as a tremendous honor and responsibility.
We know our Mom is sad to say goodbye to the home and summer lifestyle that she and Dad planned to retire to someday, but without them making that decision to buy the place back in the late ’90s, my brothers and I (and our families) wouldn’t have any empathy with all the people who say “Montana is the best place on Earth.”
In fact, visitors and residents often call Montana “The Last Best Place.”
My brothers and I sure are going to miss “Nana’s Place” out in God’s Country, but we certainly have more emPATHy for anyone who is preparing to move in the near future.
So my recently minted advice to future Sellers is this;
Don’t add extra stress to the journey. There will be plenty without adding any extra. Follow the PATH but make sure to sneak off the “path” every once in a while to build relationships, solve problems, and have fun.
Once the place sells, it will be the stories that people remember. Not the sale.
