What Buyers Really Notice: A Conversation With Harcourts Real Estate Agent Terri Gough
Selling a home is more than just a transaction; it is a deeply personal experience shaped by memories, hopes, and quiet emotional undercurrents that make a place feel like home. When it comes time to sell, homeowners and real estate agents face a surprisingly vulnerable task: stepping outside their attachment to view the space through the eyes of a stranger. What will a buyer notice first? What will they feel initially? What might cause hesitation or spark love? In this thoughtful conversation, Harcourt’s real estate agent, Terri Gough, discusses the subtle psychology of selling, the small details that influence major decisions, and how learning to see your home from the outside in can transform the entire process.
“In decision-making, people are driven by loss or fear of loss. So, often it'll be a key detail or problem that buyers will identify that puts them off making an offer. No matter how beautiful or perfect you think your house is, there will be something that people don't like, or is divisive for buyers.”
Terri Gough, Real Estate Agent
Harcourts Snells Beach
How did real estate come into your life? Was it always something you were interested in, or did it find you along the way?
My first real estate memories are probably around 9 or 10.Whenever we'd visit a new town on holiday, Mum and Dad would browse the real estate windows and comment on differing properties, guessing what they'd sell for. As I got older, that's a habit I adopted too.
Real estate fell to the side while in uni and starting my legal career. However, shortly after my parents bought some land in Matakana, I decided to build a tiny house in a pocket of bush at the bottom of their property. The intention was to rent it out to couples looking for a weekend escape from the city. Ultimately, I fell in love with it myself and decided (completely impractically) to live there myself. About 10 days after declaring this idea, I met my partner and we shortly after moved in there together. As a result, I was commuting to the city when I went on maternity leave with our first son, Cooper.
Once due back from maternity leave, I realised time with my son was too precious to waste, so I ultimately decided to change career for something closer to home. Real estate seemed like it could fit with my skills and personality. I've been working in real estate for about 1.5 years now. It's been an awesome transition and everything I'd hoped. It's a real privilege to walk beside people for what's often pivotal moments in their lives.
In your experience, what are the “invisible deal-makers” in a home, the subtle details buyers respond to emotionally, that homeowners can realistically improve without a full renovation or professional staging?
In decision-making, people are driven by loss or fear of loss. So, often it'll be a key detail or problem that buyers will identify that puts them off making an offer. No matter how beautiful or perfect you think your house is, there will be something that people don't like, or is divisive for buyers. The best thing you can do before going to market is to think honestly (and canvas others) about what the likely thing or things will be and do your best to ameliorate those things as far as you can. For instance, where the house is not very private, or close to a busy road, plant hedging/trees. Or, if you have a steep driveway, think about creating a big turntable at the end.
When a homeowner has a limited budget, how do you help them decide what’s truly worth fixing, versus what buyers are surprisingly willing to overlook?
My advice would likely adjust according to how long before the vendors were intending to market their home. If they are going to get the benefit of changes, then it may be worth spending more, or doing thing that they will get to enjoy or use. If a number of years out, one of the most common things to put people off is the lack of a second toilet, so if you have the space to add one (not a whole bathroom), this can be a good thing to do, for both your benefit, and the next buyer.
A lot of the most valuable things you can do are very cheap or easy to arrange, just take a lot of elbow grease - boring things like decluttering and deep cleaning. It's also worth working on the front yard and street appeal - this can offer the best 'bang for your buck', as if people don't enter your home, they certainly won't end up buying it, so step one is making sure they want to see what's inside!
Long-term, established gardens and plantings can offer a high return as they contribute to the overall 'feeling' of a home.
In terms of what buyers are surprisingly willing to overlook, the potential to easily renovate or add to a home. It's something I think about a lot: if the spaces need significant restructuring (moving a kitchen, for example), it can add a lot of renovation costs and limit your ability to add value. Highly recommend having a play around with the floor plan, if provided, before purchasing.
If you walked into a home that was structurally sound but felt “flat” or uninspiring, what are the first few changes you’d suggest to instantly elevate its appeal, especially for photos and open homes?
The use of appropriate pops of colour and texture helps immensely. Colour, when used well, adds to the feeling and comfort of a space, but when used badly, can be extremely off-putting, so my feeling is that people often play it safe, and understandably so. When selling, you want to appeal to a broad number of potential buyers in the hope of creating competition, so people often will stick with whites or neutrals.
Art, cushions, throws, bedding, and mats can offer an appropriate injection of colour and texture. They have the added benefit of being easily changed, and you get to take them with you when you sell, beautifying your next home. Freshly picked flowers, potted herbs and candles are also simple and easy things to incorporate for open homes.
Buyers often talk about wanting a home that feels “warm” or “inviting.” From a real estate perspective, how can sellers create that sense of connection and lifestyle without erasing their home’s personality or overspending?
Yes, they do! A lot of the earlier comments apply, but in addition, think about how buyers will imagine themselves using various spaces in your home. For example, in my house, we have an annoying area that's a combined entry and dining space. Long term, I have big plans to improve it/separate out the areas. However, if we were intending to sell quickly, I'd probably buy a stylish cabinet to hide visual clutter and make the combined use of spaces less obvious to buyers.
If you have a lot of high gloss tiles, maybe add some stylish mats, as this helps with the feeling and warmth of the space. I'd discourage completely replacing flooring, as buyers will often have their own ideas or preferences. Other easy wins are incorporating house plants where you have the space and updating curtains and tapware.
