When someone walks into a home for the first time, they make up their mind in seconds. Not because of the square footage, the number of bedrooms, or the inspection report, but because of how that first moment feels.
We all like to think we make decisions logically. But in real estate, emotion almost always leads and logic follows. That’s why great marketing doesn’t just show a home, it sets the stage for a feeling.
I call this idea “The View Before the View.”
It’s the moment before someone sees the home. The way light filters through the trees as they walk up the path. The faint sound of birds in the distance. The scent of coffee in the kitchen. It’s that instant of quiet anticipation that tells their subconscious, this could be home.
When we design a showing or create a listing video, we start there, at the emotional doorway. Instead of jumping straight to wide shots or statistics, we build a story. We invite buyers to imagine a Sunday morning here, a family dinner, or an evening on the porch.
Because people don’t buy square footage, they buy how a place makes them feel.
And when we get that View Before the View right, everything else falls into place.
If you’re thinking about selling, let’s talk about how to frame your home’s story in a way that makes buyers feel it before they even see it.
– Vlatka Bathgate, Coldwell Banker Realty
