I’m a Gig Harbor Realtor, and I snore like a leaf blower. That’s not even the most embarrassing thing I’m going to share with you.
On camera, my hair is usually done and I have an outfit picked out. It looks like I have it together. I don’t. And honestly, neither does your house. That’s completely normal.
Each of my six confessions below connects to something sellers miss in their own homes. Not because they’re careless, but because they live there every day. Buyers walk in with fresh eyes, ears, and noses. Here’s what they notice that you might not.
You Can't Smell Your Own House
I can’t smell. Not “a little.” At all. My sense of smell disappeared after I moved to Washington, and at wine tastings I fake it when everyone else swirls and sniffs.
Most sellers have a version of this. I call it seller nose blindness. You live with your home’s scent every day, so pets, tired carpet, and damp air all fade into the background.
In the Northwest, that damp smell matters. Between our rain, our roofs, and our crawlspaces, many homes carry a musty, mildewy note. Buyers don’t read that as character. They read it as an inspection problem.
What to do before you list:
- Ask an honest friend to stand in your doorway for a few minutes and tell you exactly what they smell.
- Have the crawlspace checked. If there’s moisture or mildew, fix the source.
- Skip the plug-in air fresheners. My stager once told me a house smelled like “15 versions of Hawaii.” Buyers start wondering what you’re covering up.
- Keep it neutral. A light candle is fine. Anything overpowering isn’t.
Buyers will forgive a dated 1980s oak kitchen. They won’t forgive a home that smells.
You've Stopped Hearing Your Home
Apparently, I snore. Loudly. My husband has recordings to prove it, and now every holiday he gets a fresh pack of earplugs in his stocking.
Your home has sounds you’ve tuned out, too. Some you can’t change. Some you can.
Noise you can’t fix, but should plan for: Homes that back up to Highway 16 or a busy road can carry constant traffic noise the moment you open the slider. Gig Harbor also has a shooting range that’s active on weekends, and on those days you can hear it in nearby neighborhoods and even across the water at some waterfront homes. Neither is a deal-breaker for every buyer, but we should anticipate the feedback and position the home for the buyers who won’t mind.
Noise you can fix before listing:
- Squeaky or loose floorboards
- A toilet that runs constantly
- An aging refrigerator or HVAC system with a loud hum
When I walk through a home before we list, I stand still for a minute and simply listen. What’s white noise to you is the first thing a buyer hears.
Your Kitchen Counter Is Working Against You
I hate doing dishes. So does my husband. Some evenings we sit right next to the sink during wine time in a full standoff, both refusing to look at the pile, because whoever acknowledges it has to do them.
That’s fine at home. It isn’t fine when your house is on the market. The kitchen is one of the most photographed rooms in any listing, and countertop clutter makes the whole space feel smaller. Smaller-feeling space can mean less value per square foot in a buyer’s mind.
The fix: a to-go basket. Before every showing, sweep the counters into one basket (toaster, knife block, mail, keys) and take it with you. Put everything back after the showing so you can live normally.
A few intentional pieces are fine: a cookbook, a plant, a candle. The goal is a counter that looks clean, open, and generous.
Your Home Is Living in a Messy Bun
I’m a messy bun girl. My hair is thin and fine, and doing it properly takes close to two hours. So most days, it goes up. When it needs to look great, I pay a professional and answer client emails while they work.
Your home can live in a messy bun day to day. It just can’t be listed that way. It needs the blowout.
Do what I do: hire out what you don’t want to do. After years of flipping homes and managing my own rentals, I have a trusted team I can bring in for my sellers.
- Deep cleaning, baseboards included
- Window cleaning. After a Northwest winter, windows look like a truck splashed them on the way through a puddle.
- Carpet cleaning or replacement, especially with pets, to handle both odors and stains
- Professional photography. Dark, cluttered phone photos are how listings end up sitting.
Live in the messy bun. List in the blowout.
Hangry Decisions Cost Money
I get hangry. When mealtime hits, my husband knows it’s time to feed me before I turn into a small goblin. My staff at my old Pilates studios knew not to bring up anything important right before lunch.
Some of the worst real estate decisions I’ve seen come from that same place, on both sides of the deal.
Buyers: I once worked with buyers who lost offer after offer to cash. Frustrated, they started writing offers on homes they didn’t even love and escalating with no ceiling. Always set a stopping point on an escalation clause. Then look at other ways to strengthen an offer, like a bridge loan if you need to sell first, or a closing timeline that works better for the seller.
Sellers: Not long ago, many homes here had an offer within a week. Days on market have stretched into the 30s and 40s, and sellers who expected a fast sale can panic and grab the first weak offer. Set your floor before you go live: the lowest price you’ll accept and the repairs you won’t make. Decide while you’re calm, not when you’re frustrated.
Most bad real estate decisions aren’t bad math. They’re hangry math.
You Need an Agent Who Won't Sugarcoat It
I don’t mince words. When my husband turned 50, he started growing his hair out and asked if I liked it. I said no. He told me he was going for a Matthew McConaughey look. I told him he wasn’t. In hindsight, I could have said it more gently.
But in real estate, I won’t apologize for being direct, because honesty is what makes my clients money.
When sellers interview agents, many choose the one who quotes the highest price. The home sits. Then comes a price drop. Then buyers start wondering what’s wrong with it. The agent got the listing, but the seller paid for it.
If you’re interviewing agents in Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, or Tacoma, ask one question: “What’s wrong with my house?” If they can’t answer honestly and specifically, they aren’t the right agent for you.
The same goes for buyers. If a home isn’t worth what we’d have to escalate to, I’ll tell you it’s in your best interest to walk away.
Nice is easy. Honest is what sells your house.
Bonus: The 10-Second Doorway Test
Before your next showing, leave your home for an hour and run a few errands. When you come back, stand in the doorway for 10 seconds and notice what you see, smell, and hear.
That’s your buyer’s first impression. Every house has its embarrassing stuff. Hiding it is what costs you money.
The doorway test is the last step in my free Sellers Checklist, which walks through everything in this post, room by room.
Get an Honest Walkthrough Before You List
If you’re planning to sell in the next 6 to 12 months, let me walk through your home with you. In a quick 15-minute visit, I’ll tell you what you’re not seeing, smelling, or hearing, and what to address before you list.
Download the free Sellers Checklist, the same pre-listing checklist I give my own sellers, covering the details that usually aren’t top of mind.
Contact Lianne Hall at 253-853-6200 to schedule your walkthrough in Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, Tacoma, or anywhere in Western Washington.