By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Let’s face it, first impressions matter. We care about how we dress for a job interview, and we spent extra time in front of the mirror before that first date. When it comes to selling a home, first impressions matter, too. The term “curb appeal” derives from real estate sales and home design. For years, buyers have formed their first impressions of homes while standing in the street or sitting inside the car, just beyond the curb. Before the advent of text messaging and smartphones, a buyer would get a phone call or fax from their agent about a new listing. The initial drive-by would determine whether or not they would go for an actual showing. To get that buyer in the door, the seller spent hours, even days, seeding new grass and planting flowers, painting their front door, mulching, weeding and cleaning up the yard. If the home didn’t appeal from the curb, buyers moved on to the next house. Curb appeal was always the single most important piece of the home sale puzzle.

Expanded appeal

Today, curb appeal still matters — but it matters differently. Almost every buyer forms their first impression from a home’s online photos. Instead of driving to your home, buyers will scroll through pictures of both the outside and the inside, before ever stepping foot inside. What’s more, they may never come to see it if they don’t like what they see online. While the exterior of your home should be high on your priority list, it is most valuable only when the buyer walks up or drives by. But they may not ever get that far. The interior also needs to show your home in its best possible light, because Web appeal has become the new curb appeal. And if your home doesn’t photograph well — either because you didn’t have it professionally shot, didn’t post high-resolution photos, or you haven’t taken the time to prep it — then curb appeal won’t even make a difference.

What sellers should do

Sellers need to spend ample time preparing the inside of their home and getting great photos, so buyers will form the best possible impression. The downside for sellers is that they have to work so much harder than they did just 15 years ago. In our ever-more-visual society, buyers make immediate judgments about a home within moments of clicking on the new listing on their smartphone. Sellers only have one chance to make a good impression. The home still needs to look good from the curb — but to get the buyers there in person, it needs to look great on the Web. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team It’s the knock on the door that comes out of left field. Or the unexpected envelope in the mail. A stranger says he wants to buy your house, and for a great price. Or what’s even more common is that a friend of a friend or acquaintance approaches you about her desire to purchase your home. What should you do when you receive an offer from a buyer when your home isn’t even on the market? It happens more than you would think, and it’s helpful to consider your options, whether you’ve thought about selling or not.

Why does this happen?

While you go about your day-to-day business and enjoy your home, able-and-ready buyers are desperate to be homeowners. In many parts of the country, inventory for homes is still at all-time lows. Quite frankly, there just aren’t enough options for buyers, so they have to think outside the box.  Some aggressive buyers take matters into their own hands, mailing letters to homes in their desired neighborhoods and hoping for a winner.

What do you do?

If you have no desire whatsoever to sell your home, do nothing. But some homeowners will want to hear what the buyers have to say, while others might seriously consider an off-market offer. Your first step is simply to listen. You’ll want to vet the prospective buyer over the phone to make sure they’re serious. Ask how long they’ve been looking, if they’ve made other offers already, and what their desired areas are. Then ask them why they chose your home. A buyer who mails an offer to you and only you probably really wants your home, as opposed to those buyers sending postcards to 50 people. Hear them out and better understand their motivations, experience in the market, and possible price or terms, if any. You will likely need to show them the home. If they seem serious, take that step, but be cautious letting a stranger into your home.

Enlisting a real estate agent

If you used the help of an excellent local agent when you purchased your home, you might want to re-engage them at some point. While buyers and sellers dream of consummating a deal and saving money on real estate commissions, it’s often a better strategy to consult with an honest and experienced agent. A good agent looks out for the long-term relationship, and being an adviser to an off-market sale is in their best interest as well. Many agents will assist in an off-market deal for a reduced commission, since they don’t have to prepare and show the home for weeks or months.

Off-market deals may not pan out

These deals don’t always come to fruition for a variety of reasons — frequently, it’s because the seller isn’t motivated enough to let the property go. And in nearly every off-market deal, there’s a struggle over the last few thousand dollars — and that conflict often keeps the sale from happening. The buyer wants a discount, because they know the seller isn’t paying a real estate commission. The seller wants their market value because the home is worth what the home is worth. Both parties wish to benefit from the commission savings. In most cases, if the buyer wants to buy, they need to pony up. The seller has what they want, and purchasing off the market is, in some ways, an opportunity they need to pay for. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.