San Francisco Real Estate Managing Broker's Blog

Floor Plan Improvement

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Architect Helps Realtor

Overcoming objections is a huge portion of our job description as real estate sales people.  Each objection needs to be viewed as a cry for help from the customer (“Help me understand how to deal with this so I can move in/out”).  Most objections are dealt with best by anticipating them and dealing with them before they even formulate in the customer’s mind.

“Gosh, this exterior is just plain @#!*&-ugly.”
“I really need an inside laundry.”
“How on earth do you get from the living area to the rear gardens?”
“Where can I add a master bathroom?”

Of course, one way to nip these objections in the bud is to have the seller remodel before going on the market.  In the SF Bay Area, according to the Cost vs Value Studies, the remodeling often pays off handsomely (unlike other regions of the U.S.).  However, we all know remodeling is not always in the cards.  Remodeling may require time and money the seller doesn’t have PLUS the planning and time required would cause you to risk missing excellent marketing times.

A great solution can be to work with an architect to develop a plan.  For sellers, you could obtain a floorplan like the one above showing the remodel option and provide it to prospective buyers (with appropriate caveats regarding permits and permissability).  The attached link gives a couple of examples of the way an architect can help in the sale.  Have the architect accompany you and your buyers to the prospective house and talk through improvements your buyer is considering.  This architect is willing to make a site visit with no charge.  After identifying the solution, your client may want to hire him on a limited basis for more specific advice – drawing a floor plan, creating an elevation drawing, checking out technical feasibility with planners and the like.