Vent: A seller in Phoenix told me something that changed how I handle listings

I was showing a house in Mesa last month, just a regular Tuesday. The seller, an older guy named Ray, was there while I did the walkthrough. He pointed at the kitchen backsplash and said, 'I put that in myself ten years ago, cost me maybe $300 total. Every realtor who's been through here tells me to rip it out and spend five grand on something new.' He looked me right in the eye and said, 'But you know what? Three families who looked at it loved it. Said it had character.' That stuck with me. I realized I was always pushing for big, expensive updates to make a place 'market ready,' just like those other agents. Ray's place sold in 8 days, 5k over asking, to a young couple who specifically mentioned the kitchen. Now I ask sellers what they love about their home first, before I suggest any changes. Has anyone else had a client point out something you were totally wrong about?

3 comments

3 Comments

victorw5411h ago

My old broker pushed staging so hard we'd basically gut a place. Had a seller in Chandler with this wild 70s wallpaper she refused to change. It ended up being the main thing the buyers talked about in their offer letter.

johnkelly10h ago

Ever see a house where the weirdest feature is what sells it? My cousin bought a place just for the ugly green shag carpet, said it had "character"!

kelly_adams245h ago

That staging advice always bugged me (like, a lot). My friend's a realtor in Mesa and she says forcing a total gut job can backfire. She had a listing with a bright pink bathroom that the buyers specifically said made the house feel fun and happy. Sometimes the weird stuff is the whole point.