Welcome Home… “It’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood!” is a saying echoed world wide. Those are the thoughts that should pop into the mind of any buyer approaching your home.
The General Real Estate market is in a time of transition all over the country, up in one market down in the next. Market drivers that apply to the country as a whole don’t necessarily apply to Western Pa., and those drivers that do, may not apply to the Luxury home market. National Guru’s stick with writing about safe national trends and a few major markets like LA, NYC, Las Vegas, and Florida. Our local market is one with its own set of drivers and participants. They don’t necessarily fit safely and neatly into the National Profile.
They say “All politics are local.” Following that bit of wisdom it’s easy to see why the trends of the Real Estate market impacting you deeply are all Local. Great Agents provide insight into your Local Luxury Home Market.
Business and Emotional drivers have always impacted sales cycles and marketing plans, but never more than in today’s Luxury Home market in the North Hills area of Pittsburgh. Understanding these personal drivers and their impact will help both sellers and buyers reach agreement where everyone walks away from the table with a smile. We all like smiles and puppies!
Luxury Home buyers are really in a class by themselves. They are free to be driven more by emotion than the common “business need” for shelter. In our area we are surrounded by broad choices within any given price range and the Luxury Market is no exception. At first glance those broad choices might indicate “a buyers market.” Dig a little deeper and we see a narrow focus on the personal “emotional” drivers of the buyer emerge. That’s where “Location” plays a large part in final decisions. Yes there are kitchens and master suites, more about those later. For now every Great Location isn’t right for every buyer. That’s where understanding the personal emotional driver plays a defining role.
An agents understanding of “location” combined with knowledge of our local neighborhoods and his ability to match the right buyers with the right neighborhood is an essential part of the decision making process. The “emotion” part of this is not the convenience of the location, that’s a business driver. The “emotion” is tied to the quality of life your family will realize and what neighborhood can best contribute to your quality of life. Families are as different as homes but much more complex. Each has its own personality and needs. A good agent senses family needs and focuses his search on the location that best fits those needs.
OK, so the agent understands location but what can I do about my home, I can’t move it? This is where the agent comes in where the seller can be a big part of the answer. Think about why you love living there and share. I’m not talking about your great kitchen I’m talking about your neighborhood. What are the neighbors like? Common activities, what near by amenities do you use? a country club, the riding stables around the corner, the community park, the local sports teams and more. Let your agent in on them. That agent will sense what the buyer is looking for and help the buyer find your neighborhood. Once in your neighborhood the agent will help that buyer discover your home. An agent that helps will always have an edge on the agent that sells.
Now what can you do about the location? Ask you self this question… Knowing the great aspects of the spirit and character of your neighborhood, how does your home fit into that character? If it’s a neighborhood that is walking friendly with sidewalks throughout and real front porches, what does yours look like? Is it barren or is it a comfort zone to relax and watch the neighbors go by? If there are athletic fields in the community center does your mud room look equipped to keep the mud in there? Is it a transition zone or an unrecognizable extra storage space? If every home in the neighborhood has back yard entertainment areas, is yours clean and set for family and neighborhood gatherings? Look at the condition of the landscaping relative to your neighbors. Does it stand out as a gem and reflect the neighborhood pride?
Yes it’s a bit of exterior staging we are talking about! It’s that first emotional impression of how your home fits into your great neighborhood. It’s the right bit of landscape. It’s that “sit and have coffee setting” on the front porch. It’s that garden box on the Juliet balcony. Your look can be unique but it should always say “We love this neighborhood.” Your home is part of a great neighborhood. Welcome home! It’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood…
