To get the biggest return when it’s time to sell, the pros at Platinum Real Estate the Luxury Home Experts say to do this, not that
By Patricia Nugent
Benjamin Franklin once wisely said, “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
When it comes to getting your home ready to put on the market, preparation is everything, often the key to the quickest and most profitable sale.
I caught up with Denise Zervos, who, along with her husband, Mark, leads the powerhouse selling team at Platinum Real Estate the Luxury Home Experts, to glean her insider’s take on what the best prep work looks like.
Next-Level Marketing Strategy
Helping the Platinum team in the strategy and positioning department is its newly hired International Luxury Marketing Director Cara Miller. She will be overseeing alongside Denise, the marketing of homes priced $450,000 and up in Ohio, Florida and South Carolina.
“When it comes to creativity and marketing savvy, once we met Cara, we knew she was the exact person we’d been searching for,” says Denise. “Her ideas are next-level when it comes to telling a home’s story. She dives deep to discover what makes them special, creating storyboards when needed.”
Cara will be tapping into her background in photography to help direct the photo shoots, and figure out a strategy for campaigns placed in the best media outlets.
“This is the ideal job for me,” says Cara, who grew up in Summit County and earned her undergraduate degree from Ohio University and master’s degree from Case Western Reserve University, both in English Literature. “I fall in love with every house I see and enjoy crafting stories to encourage people to fall in love like I did. Oftentimes with luxury properties, people are buying in to a lifestyle. I communicate that through the photos and stories, focusing on things like lakefront bonfires crackling or romantic sunset views.”
Putting Your Best Story Forward
When it comes to staging, Cara has the Midas touch. She deftly senses what should stay and what should go.
“It’s a challenge to diplomatically inform home sellers about things they can do to sell the fastest and most profitably,” she says. “My top staging tip is, less is more. People are emotionally attached to things like too much art on the walls, or clutter on the counters, or too much furniture crowding the rooms. What might look comfy to them, like big sectionals with lots of pillows and blankets draped over them that are facing the television, would be better served with several chic chairs facing the center of the room situated conversationally. No one wants to live in a furniture catalog, but while your home is on the market, you really should.”
The bottom line? Potential home buyers need to envision their own family in the space, not yours.
“We recommend people depersonalize the home,” she adds, taking down big family photos and replacing them with neutral, tasteful and somewhat generic artwork. Little changes can make a big impact when the offers start rolling in.”
Cara reports what made her want to work at Platinum was the client-centric focus she shares with Mark and Denise.
“These two and their team are not cold, corporate revenue-builders,” she says. “They spend time with each client and care about finding their dream home. Recognizing their part in the community and fostering that community is integral for them, and me, too.”
Lastly, she says Cleveland is a city hugely underrated by people in other parts of the country, and the homes here enjoy significant amenities and value.
Headquartered within The Platinum Center, at 7200 Mentor Street in Mentor, Platinum Real Estate the Luxury Home Experts has offices in Ohio, Florida and South Carolina. To get more information, call 844-LUX-PROS (844-589-7767) or visit TheLuxuryHomeExperts.com.