A client's simple question about a house's 'feel' made me stop listing features and start listening.

I used to just rattle off square footage and school district stats, but after that chat in a 1970s split-level in Cedar Rapids, I now ask 'what does home mean to you?' first (and honestly, the deals close faster).

4 comments

4 Comments

sage3081mo ago

Hold up, is selling houses really that deep now? It's a 1970s split level with wood paneling, not a therapy session. Ask them if they like the big backyard and move on, you know? I feel like people overthink this stuff to sound smart on LinkedIn or whatever.

miller.rowan2mo ago

Yeah, I was all facts before that too.

murphy.aaron2mo ago

That "weird dark wood" vibe is exactly what @miller.rowan had to get past.

sage3082mo ago

Cedar Rapids, seriously? My aunt lived in a 70s split-level there on Elmwood Drive. The whole vibe of those houses is just weird dark wood and tiny windows. I can't believe that's the place where you had this big change. It makes total sense though, because listing features in a house like that feels pointless. You have to talk about the feeling because the facts are all against it. Good on you for figuring out out that the emotional stuff is what actually gets people to sign.