Can't See the Forest for the Trees

I've been thinking about my Friday post--about my friend and his analogy about I CAN Sell This House. A rather trite proverb came to mind, but maybe it's only trite because we don't stop and think about what it really means: He can't see the forest for the trees.

In the context of selling a house, I think the "forest" is the real estate market and potential buyers as a whole. The "trees" are your ties to your house, both emotional and physical. There's the tree of "kids' measuring stick" on the back of the kitchen door. Another tree might be the energy you put into building that swing-set, or maybe it's your collection of baseball cards displayed in the den. There's a tree of anxiety about selling--can you find a buyer and if you really want to sell in the first place. Yup, trying to sell your home is impossible because of all the trees in the way.

When you get your head and your heart in the right place--when you've emotionally distanced yourself and can objectively assess the house (not your home)--your job is to blaze a trail through the forest to lead your new buyers to their new home. Work with your Realtor to decide on what that trail should look like: will it include Internet ads (it should)? Will it include an Open House (maybe)? Will it include a spiritual component in which you ask the house to call the new buyers to it (that depends upon your comfort level)?

Whatever your trail ends up looking like, make sure that every blaze is added with the intention of bringing your buyers to their new home. It's a subtle shift, but it is a shift. Rather than focusing on actions to sell, focus on actions to attract.