Years ago, clients and I walked out of a house (that they didn’t buy) and shared our collective “weird” feeling as we’d gone through the house. It took us a few minutes, but we soon concluded that the weird feeling was created because the house felt empty and soulless – there were no books. Anywhere.

“I could live here! This could be my bookshelf!”

My clients didn’t buy that house. But they seriously considered it more than they would have otherwise, in large part due to the books on the shelves.

Buyers are seeking way to evaluate whether they will be happy/content/satisfied in a new place.  Book help that evaluative process immensely. Kindles don’t help this process.

“They have the Harry Potter series. Our kids would love that.”

I’ve heard this more than once; parents are always looking for signs that their kids, and therefore, the parents, will be happy.

I’m not advising to go out and buy the Harry Potter series as part of your home staging strategy, but displaying them prominently, in the organized fashion they deserve to be wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Think about it – what’s on your bookshelves?

Bottomline: Buyers look at sellers’ books (and spices, but that’s another story). Buyers look at everything (except dresser drawers – those are off limits).

I wrote a story today about buyers looking at sellers' bookshelves. I wasn't thinking about these types of books we saw today in an old house's basement.

A photo posted by Jim Duncan (@jimduncan) on Feb 23, 2016 at 4:13pm PST

I’ve written about “will I fit in” before from the political angle –

• Will I fit in (politically) in this neighborhood ? – 2012
• Politics – will I fit in? – 2011
• More recently, we talked about this on a Charlottesville radio show

Photo courtesy.