Prepare  Yourself  For Showing  Your  Home

You've already talked with your agent about the physical work involved to get a home ready to show, but have you talked about the other events that may take place while the house is on the market? Getting a basic education in Buyers 101 will help prepare you for the realities of 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, so a seller with a '24 hour notice to show' stipulation often cuts himself out of a good chunk of the buying market. The only standard hefty lag time that should be necessary is when you must give ample notice to a tenant.

Once a house gets tagged difficult to show by agents, you won't receive as many calls to show it.

If you choose to make showings difficult, understand now that it will cut down on showings--and fewer showings equals fewer potential buyers.

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 you can, stay away from home a little longer than you think is necessary, just to make sure that you don't interrupt a showing.

Sellers Who Want to Be Present

This is nearly always a bad idea. You may think agents and buyers won't be able to find everything, or that you must be there to point out important features. Most sellers just want to be present to see buyer reaction firsthand.

You need to be aware that at the very least buyers feel uncomfortable when you are present, and that it 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 up and move on to the next one.

Most sellers want to talk, and not just about the house. You never know when a buyer will be turned off by your mood, or by a statement that you make. 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 must be home during a showing, please either go outside or stay put in one location. Don’t  wander around with the agent and buyers. And again, if at all possible, don’t be there.

Sellers Who Want Their Agent To Be Present for All Showings

If you're selling a large estate or complicated property, it might be the norm to plan on your agent being present for all showings, but it's not necessary or smart for the typical house.

Other agents generally feel uncomfortable with the listing agent hanging around, listening to and participating in conversations with potential buyers. If the other agent is representing the buyers as a buyer's agent, he or she won't be free to have open discussions about the house in front of the listing agent.

There's another negative that may be more important: busy agents don't have time to work around your schedule. Requiring the listing agent to be present for all showings is another way to give the house that difficult to show reputation.

If you are worried about theft of small items, you should store them away. Packing up collections and small personal items is part of the process you should have already gone through to prepare your house for showings. See our 73 Quick Fix Tips.

Pets Must Be Controlled

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 home buyers turn around at the front door.

If there are pet odors, this needs to be remedied before the first showing. Most people are not aware of odors in their own home. You don't want buyers to remember the home as the house that smells.

All of these tips will help your home “draw” a steady supply of potential buyers, and help you get the true market value for your home in a timely fashion. If we can be of any assistance to you, please fill out your info below or just give us a call.