Don’t take it personally….

  • 12 years ago
  • 1

Did anybody see last night’s ‘Secret Agent’ with Phil Spencer?  It featured the classic scenario of a couple uanble to sell their house after two years on the market and as a result calling in the experts.  Whilst we all can appreciate that it was a television programme and therefore subject to certain artistic licence it displayed the classic example of a vendor not liking the truth.  Phil Spencer made truthful observations about the presentation of the house and unfortunately one of the vendors took umbrage, stormed off and would not participate in the rest of the programme.  It was an all too frequent example of a vendor taking it personally.  It is not a matter of questioning personal taste and an individual’s choice of furnishings, it is all about making the property as appealing as possible to potential buyers.  Over the last 30 years, I have unfortunately upset many vendors, not by insulting their children or their family but my merely suggesting that they declutter and tidy their house.  I may have upset them in the short term, but I have sold their property. Agents are not in the position to comment on someone’s choice of carpet or sofa (they are estate agents, not interior designers), but they are in a position to offer an objective opinion as to the best way to sell a property.  If the aforementioned carpet is almost invisible due to clutter and dumped household items then it does not make an appealing picture to a potential vendor: not because they are clean freaks but because the room does not showcase the space available and it cannot be seen to its best advantage.  The moral of the story is if you do get a professional around to offer you advice about selling your home, then be prepared for what he or she has to say.

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