Certainly after all the efforts you put into preparing your home for sale, no doubt you want your home to look at its best when showing it to potential buyers. After all, the “showing” will be the determining factor whether or not somebody wants to buy your home.
Make sure your home generate the best first impression to have the competitive edge and get your home sold. Give the buyer no reason to look at another property. Stage and accentuate your home’s positive attributes.
Here are top 10 proven tips for showing your home:
1. Keep your home ready for showings
During the first weeks after your home was listed on the market, interest will be at its highest. Real estate agents will want to show your house to their buyer clients. It is especially during this time that you make your home available for showings. It may pose an inconvenience for you especially if you are not available at the preferred time of showing but if it’s the case, your listing agent, if you are working with one, can meet with the buyer and the buyer’s agent. If your agent cannot be on the showing, you should consider allowing your agent to put a lockbox on your door. This device will allow the buyer’s agent to enter your home with a specified code. Ensure that your home is always ready to be shown. You’ll never know when the right buyer is going to look at it.
2. Make the buyer comfortable looking at your home
Ideally, you should not be around when a buyer is viewing your home. Buyers might feel uncomfortable talking about the house in front of you. Buyers need to be able to imagine the house as their future home, nothing puts a damper on that more than you following on their every move and showing every details of your home. Let your agent handle the showing.
3. Check the temperature
If you know that you’ll have a showing scheduled for the day, make sure that the temperature of your home is comfortable. You wouldn’t want your potential buyer to spend less time touring your home because the room climate is above or below the comfortable temperature. The last thing you want is a buyer who’s in a hurry to leave your home. Give the buyer more reason to linger whether it’s a hot or cold day.
4. Make sure the outside looks appealing
Remember that your home’s curb appeal is the first thing a buyer will see. Making sure your home’s curb appeal is pleasing to the eye. Your home’s curb appeal is also an important part of your home. If it looks appealing on the outside, buyers will be eager to see more what’s on the inside. Besides having your lawn maintained and your front yard cleaned, having flower beds can add charm to your curb appeal. Of course there are more things to do to enhance your curb appeal, this list of affordable ways to improve your home’s curb appeal will give you more ideas.
5. Create a mood
Create a mood that would move your buyer’s emotion. Create an ambiance that would make the buyer feel relaxed, a good example of that is lighting a fire in the fireplace, turning on soft music, or lighting scented candles. Play on the sense of smell and sight that would make the buyer feel cozy. If you have water fountain, the sound of the water is relaxing and it could drown out traffic noise. Place fresh flowers where they’ll stand out or a bowl of fruits. Turn on every light in the house; make your house appear bright. When you show your home, you want to engage the buyer emotionally because emotion plays a bigger factor in the home buying decision.
6. Remove your pets
If you have pets, it is ideal that they are not around when you are showing your home. Your pet may be cute and harmless but not all people will have the same view. Many people are terrified of dogs no matter what size and they may feel uncomfortable viewing your home if your pet is hanging around. Also your potential buyer might be turned off by pet odors, carpet stains, litter, or any signs of your pet in the house that all of a sudden instead of viewing your home properly, they would leave your home rather quickly.
7. De-odorize
The sense of smell influences people’s sense of enjoyment or displeasure. Walking into a house and being hit with a strange smell can be a huge turn off. Instead of the buyer wanting to explore more, the smell might drive the buyer away. If you have a showing scheduled soon, try to de-odorize your home. Open the windows and let in some fresh air. You can also put out a bowl of plain white vinegar overnight, which is a wonderful natural deodorizer. Do not cook food with strong smell such as fish, garlic, or spices. If you are going to cook, choose something with pleasant smell like cookies or pastries. Don’t drive away your potential buyers from strange smells.
8. Offer them Food
No, you don’t need to cater a lunch. A simple plate of cookies or finger food and some refreshment are already enough to entice buyers to linger more especially if you are having an open house. People viewing your home will tend to linger longer.
9. Let the buyers know more about your home
Buyers are not only looking for a great home layout or features. If you have recently had your home inspected or appraised, and you are not worried about negotiations, you can place copies of these reports on your dining table. Making them available to your buyers can show them that you’ve listed your home for what it is appraised for. At the same time you are also giving your buyers a peace of mind.
10. Ask for buyer feedback
Asking for feedback is essential after showing. Without feedback, you won’t know what you are doing right and what could be improved upon. Asking for buyer’s feedback especially in your first showing could be helpful during your next showing. If you are not around, you can place a stack of printed questionnaire or a guest book to sign. Through feedback you will learn how you can improve your home’s appearance and how to meet your buyer’s needs.
If you follow these 10 proven tips for showing your home, you’ll be maximizing your chances of really creating a great impression for your house viewers and you’ll have nothing to worry about. Just be prepared and be personable. Don’t put pressure on yourself and get stressed out about a showing. If the house is the right property the buyer is looking for, it will sell itself. Good luck on your showing!
