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Selling Your Home With Effective, High Impact Language
Many Pasadena homes for sale are listed by verbally challenged real estate agents. A few lines of copy and maybe a picture. Some agents do a great job, while others could use a refresher course on selling. If you have looked at homes lately you’ve see all kinds of attempts to sell real estate. Your impression of the property for sale may be influenced to a great extent on how well the agent attempted to describe the house.
A Good Salesperson Turns Negatives Into Positives
This is a fictitious tongue in cheek approach on selling a home and the options that exist. There are always two sides to every story. 
The question becomes the manner in which the property is presented. Depending on what is described, it can offer a summation of the negative aspects or it can sell the opportunity and potential.
Either way you have to read through the lines. Perceptions often differ, especially on something as emotional as the purchase of a home.
Pasadena Home for Sale
Option 1
This home is a major fixer. Previous occupant neglected the property and is in need of much repair. Not in the best location as it sits on a high traffic street across a gas station, a firehouse and emergency medical transportation. The property is sometimes noisy as it sits close to the freeway and police helicopters flying overhead can often be heard.
Now we will present the second option, turning the above negatives into selling positives:
Option 2
An incredible opportunity for the new owner to start fresh and make this home their own. Bring your own decorating ideas and custom touches to create your dream home. Imagine the convenience of driving across the street to fill your gas tank or pick up a soft drink. And for those of you that may require medical attention, you can rest assured that a paramedic or fireman is just steps away. Your drive to and from work just much shorter as the house is freeway adjacent. The police constantly patrol the area to keep you and your new home safe and secure.
As you can see, the language used to describe the house is dramatically different. If you are in the market to buy a home (1) do you look through the clutter, the filth and the existing conditions to see an opportunity, or (2) Do you read past the puffing, and the fluff to remain skeptical of the selling process?
Tags: pasadena home listings, selling your pasadena home, verbally challenged
November 24th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
As a buyer, I agree with your assessment that there are many verbally challenged realtors… especially those that pronounce their profession as reel-uh-ters, but that’s another story. Option 1 is obviously not a good selling tactic, and with the right price anything can be sold. That being said, this house sounds like such a piece of $&*@ that you would have to give it to me and I still wouldn’t take it, but that’s just me. Option 2 is problematic as well because if Option 1 is the unwavering truth, Option 2 goes a bit too far in its overly positive wording. These are the kinds of descriptions that annoy me as I’ve already seen too many “charming” homes.
November 24th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Homes are like people, there is something out there for everyone. A home listing is similar to an advertising campaign; an interest needs to be created to get people into the home. The goal of advertising is to sell a product, get people to visualize themselves in it. I can think of other advertising that seems to go a bit far. One that comes to mind is the commercial for Cialis. What do two people in separate bathtubs looking out over a mountainous landscape have to do with the product they are selling?
November 25th, 2008 at 1:30 am
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November 25th, 2008 at 2:03 am
I’m Thankful for CoRE #118…
It’s Thanksgiving week and we are thrilled to host CoRE #118. For those unfamiliar with how the Carnival of Real Estate works, Carnival of Real Estate showcases blog posts submitted by the best of the nation’s real estate bloggers and is hosted on…
November 25th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Your ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ options are impactful, Dan. It brings to mind how important it is to also bring along a little imagination and vision to the showing. They are what tend to fuel a and inspire a positive outlook, don’t you think? I’m enjoying reading your site, and I look forward to visiting often.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Doug, please forgive my error. I was thinking ‘Doug’ in my earlier comment,
but the hands for some reason typed ‘Dan’ – someone I often write to. Thanks again for the post.