Princeton NJ Real Estate - Buy, Sell or Stay?

Why do people sell their homes? The question came to mind while I was reading an article in the “O AT HOME – an Oprah Magazine” . It describes how a seller changed her mind about selling the home after it was staged for sale. The article goes on to say, that she liked the new look and decided to stay put after one sale fell through. Needless to say - the real estate agent did not get paid. It made me think that sellers, buyers and agents need to better understand why they want to sell or buy. 

It’s not about the home
Homes for many people are an extension and reflection of who they are, their history, background, hopes and aspirations. When something in our life does not work we may think it the house’s fault. I had a client who looked for a new home every time she had a problem in her marriage. I had to really get to know this client to realize a new home will not solve her problem. Not moving saved the client a lot of aggravation and money.

Stage for yourself
We get so used to our homes, we don’t realize what exactly bothers us there. When people decide to sell their home they use staging to appeal to a prospective buyer. It is done for selling, not for living. Why can’t it be the other way around?  “Stage” the home for yourself and see if it appeals to you now. This could be a solution much easier and less expensive then the move.

Dreams vs. Reality
Many of us have a “Dream House” in mind. May be it’s our parents home, or the place we vacation in, or “the Joneses” house. These dreams make us look for another house: bigger and better, or smaller and better, or just different.  Then we find out that a bigger house is harder and more expansive to maintain, the smaller house does not give everyone needed space, “the Joneses” house does not fit our lifestyle or budget. Sometimes it’s  better for a dream to be just that - a dream.

The agent’s tale
I want my clients to be happy. The moral of this story – examine and re-examine your reasons to sell and buy. If after all the deliberations you are convinced it’s the best course for you – go for the dream. I will be at your service.

If you are considering selling or buying and have questions or need assistance call Faina Sechzer directly at 609-552-4175.