I recently showed a house listed in the Fredericton area that should have sold itself.

The home was high-end (as was the asking price) – but the showing left me shaking my head. Individually the problems looked like molehills, but together they created a mountain of obstacles that neither my client nor I could overcome in our minds.

Rooms that should have been eye candy for an interested buyer looked more like the aftermath of a storm. The landscaping was forgotten and the walkways would have been more at home in ancient Rome. From the outside the garage seemed impressive, but further inspection inside showed it was overgrown with years of accumulation and filth.

How a house shows tells a story. Any Realtor® serious about what they do, knows that a home must speak to the expectations of the buyer (that’s Realty 101). I think that’s what upset me most.

In this case the Realtor® did a monster disservice to everyone (including themselves). The ‘For Sale’ sign went in the ground with no thought given to prep work or upgrades. In the end, my client was so disappointed with the ‘perceived’ disregard of the seller that he emotionally lost interest in the home (and so did I).

In my opinion, the seller can’t be blamed – because they’re not expected to appreciate the determining factors when a buyer sees a house for the first time. The Realtor® on the other hand, has no excuse. Either their expectations for the seller were too low – or they simply wanted the listing without the work.

Bottom line? Every seller deserves the guidance, arm twisting (if required) and time to prepare their home properly for the sale.

The disappointment on the face of my client after the showing told me everything I needed to know. If the story had of been different – an offer would have been made.