Did you know that many homes listed for sale are given nicknames by potential buyers? Possibly even more than one nickname and the homeowners will likely never know. Most buyers begin their home search online and name the houses while looking at photos. When they view the homes with their Realtor® the nickname often sticks or is replaced by another one. Was the house on Poplar St. the one with all the cameras and recording equipment or was that the house on Morris Dr? Which one was it that looked like a fraternity house with red solo cups, dirty laundry and take-out containers piled up? Which house had the custom shoe shelves with hundreds of pairs of heels?   Was the house with the dog, cats and reptiles the one on Sunset Ct?

It can be difficult for buyers to distinguish one from the other when comparing them either in person or online. When I show homes in the greater Jacksonville, FL area, after we leave each house I make a few quick notes with any distinctive features and my customer's impressions.  This not only helps keep them straight for me but is also useful when I provide feedback to listing agents to share with their sellers. Most buyers, on the other hand, use descriptive nicknames to talk about the homes. A very typical conversation after a few showings sounds something like this:

Me:  Now that you've seen a few houses, what are your thoughts? Do you like what you've seen so far or should we adjust your search criteria?

My Customers: So far, so good. We've decided that the spy house is too close to the highway for us. The guy house is nice and we haven't ruled it out but the bedrooms are smaller than we had hoped for. We like the zoo house a lot and it's on our short list but we're really anxious to see the shoe house. That one looks too good to be true!

Did you notice that no streets or communities were mentioned in that conversation? If YOU were to list your home for sale today what do you think prospective buyers would nickname it?

 Julie Bentley has been a Realtor® in northeast FL since 2012. During that time she has listed and sold new houses, blue houses, doll houses, tall houses and everything in between. Before listing your home call Julie at (904) 576-0706. She can help you buy or sell AND let you know what your home's nickname is likely to be.