A seller mentioned to me the other day that she did not want any potential buyers for her home to know what she looks like. Not that there's anything wrong with her appearance, mind you. This seller is an attractive and friendly person. But the reason she wants to leave the house long before a buyer arrives for a showing is because she met the sellers when she bought the house. And she didn't like them. Come to think of it, my husband didn't like the sellers of our house, either. Because they were frying bacon in the kitchen when we got there.
We are judgmental human beings. It's in our genes, I suppose. We might not mean to judge other people based on superfluous information, but the fact is we do. Whether we have a valid basis, we constantly size up new people and form first impressions. You may never know the criteria a buyer may use to justify rejecting a property. While I'm not saying this seller should throw on a burqa to go grocery shopping, I understand her point of view.
She's right. Sellers and buyers should not meet each other during the home courtship stage. Let the home do the mating dance and leave the people out of it.
Here is a home in Natomas in which the buyers and sellers will never meet. Not even by accident. So, buyers are free to imagine whether they will use part of the gigantic living room as a dining room or if a dining room is of no use to them because they'd rather eat in the kitchen. People seem to be moving away from hosting formal dinner parties and many no longer utilize a dining room. In fact, some living rooms are useless as well. These rooms often serve the same purpose as the interior courtyards of Pompeii -- attractive parts of the home that one passes through to get to the living area but a part of the home that is never occupied.
This Creekside Village home was built by D. R. Horton in 2002 and boasts 2,668 square feet. The reason a buyer might not use the dining room is because there is a huge eat-in space in the kitchen, which overlooks the back yard and is open to the family room. Most family rooms are where the action is. You're close to your family members, the TV and the refrigerator -- what else do you want? This family room has a fireplace, a built-in media center and is wired for surround sound.
Probably the best selling feature is its 5 bedrooms plus a big bonus room. Families with children may use the bonus room as a play area, but it could serve also as a workout room for a single person. You could put a lot of gym equipment in that space. Or maybe a pool table.
You'll find that highly coveted first-floor bedroom, which has an amazingly big walk-in closet. Plus, 3 full baths, one downstairs and two upstairs. The kitchen features black granite counters, an island, a built-in microwave and dishwasher, plus a free-standing Kenmore gas range. There is a frosted door on the pantry closet. The entire first floor, except for the bath, has beautiful Wilsonart laminate flooring. Great for people with pets or allergies, or for someone like me who dislikes vacuuming.
2921 N Platte Way, Sacramento, CA 95835 is offered exclusively by Lyon Real Estate as a short sale at $265,000. For more information, call your Sacramento short sale agent, Elizabeth Weintraub, at 916 233 6759.
Photos: Elizabeth Weintraub
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Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout Sacramento. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. DRE License # 00697006.
The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available through bookstores everywhere and at Amazon.com.
Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.
The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate.










































