NEWSLETTER #008

4 MIN READ

What's Important Now?

The W.I.N. (What's Important Now) approach is a powerful tool for helping house proud home sellers stay focused and achieve their goals efficiently. It dovetails perfectly with occupied home selling. By asking, "What's Important Now?" you can reduce your overall stress with the home presentation process by focusing on the task from your Who-Do-When List that is most important to you right now.

That way, you can set aside your fear of the unknown and focus on the immediately solvable problem or process.  

Here's how you can apply this method using our proven 7-step GOLD-Class System for home presentation:

Step-by-Step Application of W.I.N. to Home Sellers

1. Initial Consultation:

   • Introduce W.I.N.: Explain the W.I.N. concept to your family, emphasising how it can help them stay focused on the most important tasks during the home selling process.
   • Identify Priorities: Help them determine their highest priority at each stage of the selling process. This could be repairs and maintenance, editing, cleaning, styling, preparations for viewing, exiting the home; or dealing with buyer feedback.

2. Editing (Decluttering) and Preparing the Home for viewings:

   • Set Clear Goals: Break down the editing and preparation tasks into manageable steps. Ask the W.I.N. question "What's Important Now?" to prioritise which areas of the home to tackle first using the "Who-Do-When" grid. (Listed as it sounds.)
   • Daily WINs: Ask yourselves, "What's Important Now?" multiple times a day to keep on track with the preparation tasks.

3. Preparation and Presentation of the Home:

   • Focus on High-Impact Areas: Use W.I.N. to determine what tasks are vital in the "money areas" of the home. For example, living and dining rooms, master bedroom, kitchen and ensuite; exterior entry, deck, or patio, if these are the most impactful spaces for your buyers.
   • Buyer Feedback: Ask the W.I.N. question to adapt your efforts based on buyer feedback and market conditions.

4. Marketing Strategy:

   • Prioritise Marketing: Use W.I.N. to decide the most important activities. For instance, professional photos are critical so prioritise scheduling the photographer and preparing the home for the photo shoot approx. 10 days ahead of the first viewing. 
   • Open Viewings: Revisit the W.I.N. question and make necessary adjustments in advance of buyer inspections - afterwards will be too late.

5. Managing Viewings:

   • Preparation for Viewings: Ask yourself the W.I.N. question before each viewing to ensure you feel confident and comfortable about a successful sale.
   • Handling Feedback: Use W.I.N. to address feedback from potential buyers, and focus on the what's important first.

6. Negotiation and Offers:

   • Stay Focused on Top Dollar: During negotiations, the W.I.N. question can help you remain focused on the primary goals of a desired price or closing terms.
   • Timely Decision Making: Use W.I.N. to make timely decisions regarding offers and when considering a counter offers.

7. Closing Process:

   • Final Steps: As the sale progresses, the W.I.N. method helps ensure that all necessary tasks, such as those in the inspector's report, are completed promptly.
   • Preparing for Move: Stay focused on cleaning, clearing and storage, in the countdown to moving out, by regularly asking the W.I.N. question.

Benefits of W.I.N. for Occupied Home Sellers

• Reduces Overwhelm: Focusing on one important task at a time, helps sellers avoid feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of tasks involved in selling a home.
• Increases Efficiency: Regularly asking "What's Important Now?" helps sellers prioritise effectively, ensuring that the most important tasks are completed first.
• Builds Momentum: Completing high-priority tasks creates a sense of accomplishment and momentum toward your goals.
• Improves Decision Making: Focusing on immediate priorities allows sellers to make more informed and timely decisions throughout the home selling process.

Implementation Plan for House Proud Home Sellers

1. Daily Reminders: Set daily reminders or post the W.I.N. question on the fridge, a mirror, or other visible surface.
2. Team Check-ins: Regularly discuss progress and reassess priorities using the W.I.N. method.
3. Support and Guidance: Stay focused on the most important tasks and reach out to your home team of real estate professionals.

By integrating the W.I.N. method into your GOLD-Class System, house proud home sellers can maintain focus, reduce stress, and achieve the most important goals, ultimately leading to home selling success.