Being a Sensory Smart Real Estate Agent

What does “sensory smart” mean?

As a sensory smart real estate agent, I know that the value of a home has as much to do with how the space makes you feel as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms it has. Finding a place that feels right for you has a lot to do with how the sensory impact of the home meshes with your nervous system.

As a sensory smart agent, I pick up on patterns in client reactions that they themselves often don’t realize they’re having. The result is greater efficiency, more clarity to guide your search, less frustration, and better communication for everyone involved.

Does this sound a little “new age” to you?

It took parenting an autistic child for me to notice how profoundly EVERYONE reacts to their environment. We constantly process sensory input from our 10+ senses. This sensory processing usually happens without conscious thought, and it affects how much we can relax, concentrate, or connect with others at any given moment.

My skill in interpreting the sensory impact of an environment benefits all of my clients. Looking for your next home is fun…but only to a point. Once you’ve toured about 6 houses, they all start to blend together, and it’s common to feel discouraged. Because I’m listening to and noting comments and unspoken reactions, I can recalibrate our search very quickly so you don’t waste time. My buyers spend less time looking for their next house, and my seller’s homes often spend less time on the market.

I bet you constantly manage sensory input, even if you don’t have big reactions…Have you ever tried to find a new address, or driven through an intense snow storm, and felt compelled to turned down the volume of your car’s stereo? That’s because sometimes we need to manage sensory input to focus or reduce stress.

No One In My House is Autistic – Does A Sensory Smart Agent Benefit Us?

Yes, it matters a lot…and if you have not had the benefit of learning about your sensory system yet, you can save a lot of time in your search by working with a sensory smart agent. It may impact the house you ultimately end up buying, and it will absolutely make your search more efficient. As the mom to an autistic kiddo, I’ve learned so much about the ways that the environment impacts our experience of a space and how comforting–or discomforting–a space can be to an individual.

If something about a space creates a constant (even if small) overwhelm, like the example above of music playing in the car, you will have a hard time relaxing. As your sensory smart agent, I’ve become sensitive to the subtle clues that indicate when a space does not work for a client, and I’m able to bring those observations to your attention so we can quickly recalibrate your search for a new place.

Sensory Smarts, the Built Environment, and Ah-Ha Moments

When house hunting, you are already reconciling your needs, perhaps a partner’s needs, and your budget. Having a sensory smart agent can help efficiently interpret why something matters to you. Take a recent couple I worked with, Alex and Anna (not their real names) for example. Alex and Anna were selling their 5th house and buying their 6th: they were not new to real estate.

The first home that we toured perfectly matched what they said they wanted. They both liked the property and house, but I could see he was unsettled about something. Alex explained that he thought it might be that it was too close to a busy road, but he simply didn’t feel at home being there.

On a subsequent tour, they both fell in love with a home with the right number of bedrooms and bathrooms, but the property didn’t otherwise fit their stated desires. I listened closely to their conversation and eventually asked if they fell in love with the home because the outdoor space felt close-ended, rather than open-ended like the first house. I explained the idea of the sensory impact of a space…and they both replied, “YES! That’s it! We’ve never considered that.”

That was their big ah-ha moment! From that point on, the house hunt took on a renewed efficiency that matched not only their bedroom + bathroom needs, but also balanced their (now understood) sensory needs.

Moving with Autism or Sensory Processing Disorder

If you or someone in your household has autism or sensory processing differences, having a sensory smart real estate agent is even more important! You already know how important sensory input is…you deserve an agent you don’t need to explain yourself or your needs to!

Are you ready to learn more about sensory smart moves?

If you’re ready to talk more about what this means for you, please be in touch for a free consultation.