In a research study conducted in the early 2000’s, a Canadian professor found that homes where the seller was “motivated” took 15 percent longer to sell, while houses listed as “handyman specials” flew off the market in half the time.
“It surprised even me,” said researcher Paul Anglin, who teaches real-estate and housing trends at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.
Other findings: Words that denoted “curb appeal” or general attractiveness helped a property sell faster than those that spoke of “value” and “price.” Homes described as “beautiful” moved 15 percent faster and sold for 5 percent more. “Good-value” homes sold for 5 percent less than average. And “must-see” didn’t make any difference.
Words in the study that helped sell a home:
- Handyman special
- Curb appeal
- Move-in condition
- Landscaping
- Granite
- Gourmet
- Golf
Words that hurt the sale:
- Motivated seller
- Good value
- As-is
- Clean
- Quiet
- New paint
I couldn’t find a more recent study, but I’m betting many of the words would be similar today…except perhaps for “granite.”