Have you heard the expression, “You can’t read the label if you’re inside the jar?” It refers to how difficult it can be to solve a problem if you’re too close to it. And, if you’re like most people, one of the things you’re very close to is your home. So, when you’re selling, you need to figuratively “get out of the jar.”

How do you do that?

A simple technique is to imagine yourself as a buyer who knows nothing about your property and then view your home from that perspective. For example, drive down your street, and imagine seeing the neighborhood for the first time. Next, park on the street and walk up to your house, taking it all in just as a prospective buyer would. Then, tour your property pretending you’re a buyer.

When you do, ask yourself the following questions:

• What do I notice about the property that I like?
• What do I see that I don’t like?
• What features and characteristics stand out for me?
• How do I feel when I explore each room?
• Is there anything I’m seeing that concerns me?

When you rehearse a viewing from the buyer’s perspective, you gain insights that help prepare and sell your property more successfully.