The best way to a home buyers heart .

The best way to a home buyers heart in 2022

Stephanie Gwinn spills the beans on the best way to a home buyers heart in 2022.

September 13, 2022

Stephanie Gwinn

Licensed Realtor in Iowa

The best way to a home buyers heart in 2022

I’ve been a Realtor for two and a half years. The pandemic had just started when I passed my licensure exam. As you might have expected, many of the buyers I’ve worked with had to look for months to years before finding the house of their dreams; and not for a lack of offering! I can say with confidence that over three fourths of the bidding wars I’ve seen my clients through were for houses with brand new kitchen remodels. I tell people all the time; kitchens sell houses.

Your kitchen is the essence of your home, a testament to your friends and family of your hospitality, warmth and generosity. Social gatherings can be staged in any part of your home. A movie night has everyone plopped on the couch in front of the TV, while a barbeque beckons everyone to the back yard. But where was the popcorn made? Where is the food prepared for the grill? Birthday parties and poker nights will not only need a kitchen, but will also put your kitchen on display for the entire neighborhood!

Beyond the pride of being able to welcome guests into their home comfortably, buyers also see kitchen renovations as a major expense. Oftentimes, they don’t see themselves being able to afford something like that until years after closing on their new home. Other improvements like paint and flooring seem much more attainable to new homeowners because a lot of times they can do the work themselves, leaving the cost of materials and time the only things to consider. So when evaluating potential homes for themselves, buyers tend not to see those “smaller” things as obstacles. They do, however (almost always), see an outdated kitchen as an obstacle. This is why I always tell people there’s nothing that will sell a house faster than a brand new kitchen.

I tell my buyers that if a house gives them butterflies and the price is right, it’s worth going after. When buyer’s see a kitchen that needs some updating, even if it’s functional and in good repair, they think to themselves, “ok, that could work”. When they see a kitchen with beautiful countertops, backsplash and cabinets they say, “Oh, wow! I love this! THIS would be perfect!”. That’s when I know they’ve got the butterflies, and more times than not it’s the kitchen that does it.

Brian Tracy said it best in his book The Psychology of Selling when he wrote, “people decide emotionally and then justify logically” when buying products, and it’s no different with buying a house. Think about it. What’s a more emotional purchase than that of your new home? I may be a little biased given my current line of work, but I would argue the answer is nothing. Nothing is more emotional than deciding what house will help nurture and protect your family, possibly, for generations to come.

I want people to understand that in order to make the most money in the least amount of time on the sale of their homes, it’s important to stop thinking like a seller and start thinking like a buyer. Buyers in any market (yes, even 2020’s market) have an abundance of options. As a seller, it’s your job to make your house the only option. I honestly can’t stress this enough…the fastest way to a buyer’s heart is through the kitchen.

Stephanie Gwinn

Licensed Realtor in Iowa

RE/MAX Partners Realty

Check out my home listings HERE!!