Before you by a car, you most certainly will take it for a test ride. Before you purchase a pair of pants, you’ll try them on for fit and comfort. And before you place that 52-inch plasma in your home, you’ll watch dozens of flat screen TVs while playing your favorite movies to check for picture quality and color. So when it comes to the single greatest purchase of your life, why can’t you try your new home on for size before you buy it?
That’s not really the way real estate works, or is it? I suggested to a sellers he try a concept called “test drive my home†or “try it before you buy itâ€. A buyer can actually live in the home that is for sale for a certain period of time and try it out before making an offer.
Here is how the premise works: The seller is going to let buyers “test drive†a new, custom, four bedroom, five bath, 6,200 finished square foot home. It’s built green from top to bottom, incredibly energy efficient and has all of the high-end finishes and features one would expect in a $1.65 million home. Buyers will check in on Friday at 3pm and check out Sunday at noon, just like visiting a posh hotel. It’s fully decorated, and he’ll even take care of the food by providing you with your own private chef during the course of your stay. This is a great opportunity for any buyer who really wants to get a good feel for the home as well as the neighborhood before signing on the dotted line.
Of course, some conditions must be met before your stay, and there is no obligation to buy.
So what’s the take away here? It’s simply this! If you are a seller in this market place it’s time to think out of the box. Get creative; throw any and all ideas at the wall to get your property noticed like having strangers stay in your home. Have a brain storming session with your friends, family and yes your realtor to come up with fresh, new ideas. You may have to take some chances like the guy above, but it could pay off.�
