Prospective buyers of 7-bedroom, 9 1/2-bath properties (in Manhattan!) won't be sold on square footage alone. High-end brokers who have to prove why one eye-popping place beats another must rely on semantics and subtleties--choosing one adjective over another, drawing the eye to one stunning feature over a slightly less stunning feature.
"Selling New York" HGTV star and New York real estate broker Michele Kleier described some tricks of the trade on Tuesday's episode of Live With Regis & Kelly. Here's how it's done:
- Never say "den." (Dens exist in the suburbs; multimillion dollar urban apartments have "libraries" even if you don't own a single book.)
- Dress the part--look like you could buy a $27 million home if you felt like it.
- Always play up the view (360 degree views in particular), taking special note of iconic buildings.
- Avoid the term "his and hers" when describing double sinks, double bathrooms, double anything. (You don't know your potential buyer's relationship status.)
- Use the work "gallery" or, better, "grand gallery" in place of "entry" or "entrance."
- Invite lots of rich, powerful, influential people to see the space (and pamper them with food and drink, for if you feed them they will come).
- It's a "media room" not a "tv" room, stupid.
- Know how to use a cell phone, or bring an assistant to answer and dial for you.