Showing Your Home

Be Ready to Show at All Times

Sellers should be aware that same-day
and even last minute requests for showings
are common. You should always be ready
for a showing. So keep your home organized
and clean. Tell the kids to put their toys away
when they are finished playing, and make
sure you don't let those dishes pile up in the
sink.

Keep It Flexible

Most agents do try to arrive within the
scheduled showing time, but sometimes it
isn't possible. They may get stuck in traffic,
or the house they saw prior to your showing
took longer than expected. It happens, and
sometimes it happens too late to be fixed by
a phone call.

If the showing must be extended beyond the allotted time, you may want to stay away from home a little longer than you think is necessary so you don't interrupt the showing.

Pets Must Be Controlled

Ideally pets should be out of the house during showings, especially large dogs since many people are afraid of them. A gruff bark coming from inside the house is enough to make some people turn around at the front door.

Having your home, including the carpets, professionally cleaned prior to the first showing helps to eliminate odors and allergens that can affect people viewing your home. Then, because most people are not aware of odors in their own home, such as those from a pet, you may want to keep the pets outside or in a controlled area, or use an air purifier or freshener. You don't want buyers to remember the home as the house that smells.

As a pet lover and having many clients with pets, I will offer specific instructions to show your home while accommodating your four-legged family members. If necessary I can be present when other agents show your home, so they and their buyers can have access to your home after I've moved your pets out of their way. Taking care of you, and your furry friends, is what I do best!

                                                        
     Nothing Says Home Like Apple Pie 

     Cooking with curry and garlic, frying foods, and           
     steaming broccoli may provide your family with
     a delicious meal, but it will not help you sell your
     home. When you know your home will be shown
     soon after lunch or dinner time, consider preparing
     something less odorous. Or take advantage of the
     opportunity to go out for a for a bite to eat. Better
     yet, eat dessert! The aroma of a baking pie or
     cookies is always a hit when buyers walk into your
     home. Also, be sure to keep your home ventilated,
     and use air fresheners and air sanitizers regularly. 

 

Should You Stay or Should You Go?

When agents are showing the home to a prospective buyer, sellers often wonder if they should stay or leave. Some sellers think agents and buyers won't be able to find everything and that they are needed to point out important features. Truthfully, some sellers just want to be present to see the buyer's reaction firsthand.

Perhaps You Should Go...

Sellers should be aware that, at the very least, buyers feel uncomfortable when they are present. At most, their presence can actually kill a sale. Buyers often won't even open closet or cabinet doors when the seller is home, and when they cannot view a house comfortably, they'll hurry it up and move on to the next one.

Sellers want to talk, and not just about the house. You never know when a buyer will be turned off by the mood of the seller, or by a statement the seller makes. Buyers are there to look at the house, not chit chat about hobbies or the weather - or worse, politics and other controversial topics.

If you, the seller, must be home during a showing, at least go outside, take the dog for a walk, or stay put in one location. Do not wander around with the agent and buyers.