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Tips on Showing Your Home to Potential Buyers
Your house has been checked, inspected, and cleaned from top to bottom. You have priced it at what you feel is a fair price. The marketing and advertising program is in full swing. Now it is time to pull all of the preparations into action: open houses and showings! All of the work that you have done up to this point will only have an effect when a buyer walks into your house for the first time.
- Give all family members assigned jobs in advance that will go into action when a short-notice showing is scheduled. Everyone must know their duties and carry them out, so that you don't end up banging into one another trying to get everything done quickly.
- Open every window covering. All drapes, curtains and blinds should
be positioned to let in maximum light. Buyers like a house
to be "light and bright",
so accommodate them! Replace burned out light bulbs and
increase the wattage to others. Also, turn on as many lights as possible.
- Make sure the house smells good. Baking cookies or placing a small
saucer with a tea spoon of vanilla in a warm oven, often
recommended, may be overdoing it, but pet odors, smoke, or greasy cooking
odors definitely will not work! Air out the house just before the scheduled
showing, but close the windows (unless it is a perfect
day) before they arrive.
- Words that must be remembered: NO CLUTTER, NO CLUTTER, NO CLUTTER!
- Make sure that everything is spotless. Pay particular attention to
windows (inside and out), bathrooms and the kitchen, etc.
In the bathrooms, towels should be fresh and clean, sinks and baths
scrubbed, and the floor freshly cleaned. In the kitchen, make sure
all dishes are put away and countertops and sinks are cleaned. Park
cars on the street and keep garage swept out and clutter free, and
place excess items in storage if needed.
- Check the thermostat to make sure the house is at a comfortable temperature.
- Remove pets from the house, or at least, keep them outside. Pets
under foot will quickly put a damper on an otherwise positive
showing.
- Make sure Fact Sheets list features and benefits of home and community,
and list seller concessions and finance options on the
back. (The dining room table is an ideal place for them).
- Married couples should decide in advance who will be showing the
property and who is leaving. Two people showing a home
is one too many. When showing your home greet buyers as they enter
your home and encourage them to walk around as they wish, you'll be
at the dining room table to answer any question they may have when
finished. Leave them alone to wander the home. (Make sure all of your
valuables are securely stored or in a safe deposit box during this
time.) Be as inconspicuous as possible, but ready to hand out your
listing flyer and answer any questions after they have walked through.
- You may ask buyers to sign a guest registry and show some form of
I.D. before allowing a walk through. Make sure to note
the time of their visit.
- Soft quiet music is the only sound buyers should hear.
- Never apologize for your homes shortcomings.
- When prospects want to talk prices, ask them to put it in writing
so that you can show the offer to your spouse or family.
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