"It's not Dark -- It's Safe!"

The Limits of Spin

I addressed overcoming home shortcomings in a post earlier this week, "Fielding Buyer Objections."

Sometimes, depending on what they are, you're better off simply conceding the drawback(s) and emphasizing the home's strengths.

Case in point: a home I showed this week that has a particularly dark basement.

The listing agent's response?

The owner, who'd built the home, declined to put in any windows (lookout, egress, etc.) because "it was safer that way."

Right.

The home is in an upper bracket neighborhood in the west suburbs, and sits on a huge, private lot.

Realtor Staging Secret #37

Cheap Way to Lighten a Dark Basement

Want to lighten up a dingy, dark basement?

Here's what you should do:

One. Empty everything but the washer and dryer (cover them instead).

Two. Spray paint everything white. Yup, everything: the floors, the walls, and especially the ceiling.

I've seen (and recommended) this strategy a number of times -- and the results are dramatic!