We have all heard “the buyer’s first impression of your home starts on-line.” What does that really mean? Your home is now listed in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), now what?
To be honest, buyer’s are looking at every single photo of your home that is listed on-line. They hone in on the rooms or exterior features that mean the most to them. From that first on-line viewing, they may have questions, connect the dots on how the rooms flow (or floor plan), how large on the rooms, etc. Give each buyer a showing experience that continues from their first on-line impression. Give them the vision of living in your home! That is what will bring offers!
I understand the items and tasks below can take time, be challenging, and can be exhausting. It is important to give each showing the best it can be, and if this home doesn’t work for this buyer, they may have friends or relatives that are looking for a home just like yours!
There is a fine line between living in the home, and being motivated to sell the home. When you make the decision to sell your home, the will to sell it has to outweigh the comfort of living in the home. As hard as it may be, the sooner you see yourself moving out of the home, the sooner a buyer will see themselves living in your home.
Below are the top 10 Tips To Have The Ultimate Showing Experience.
1. Be Flexible
Be as flexible and accommodating to the buyers schedule as possible. One wants to avoid missing all opportunities as possible
2. Be Informed
Make sure everyone in the home is informed when showing are to happen so they can keep their space clean
3. Daily Cleaning
Keep up with daily cleaning tasks to make sure the home is in prestine showing condition, as one never knows when the opportunity will arise. If you have limited time, wipe the kitchen and bathroom counters before leaving for the showing.
4. Odors
If possible, avoid strong
5. Furry Friends
We all love our animals, and keeping their area clean keeps them healthy, and makes for a pleasant showing. Clean paw prints as they appear, and wash their bedding often.. Temporarily hide their food bowls or liter pan. Not all buyers are a pet people, and since we never know the buyer’s preference, keeping the home free of their appearance in the home allows for a better showing experience
6. Natural Light
Open blinds and curtains and let in as much natural light as possible. It makes a difference when entering a bright natural light home, and you can just see the smile it brings to a buyer’s expression. Adding to the natural light, turn on all the lights in the home, even the table/floor lamps before leaving for a showing.
7. Trash
Empty the trash cans to avoid any odors. A tip is the empty the trash cans nightly so the home is fresh when you leave for the day
8. Temperature
Keep the room temperature comfortable. This allows the buyer to focus on the home and stay longer to walk-through and view, versus wanting to leave to warm up, or cool down in the car
9. Personal Items
I cannot express enough to place valuable items and prescriptions out of site and in a safe place. If possible, remove items from the home completely to alleviate any concerns.
10. Vacate
Having a seller present in the home can make a buyer feel awkward. It is understandable if there are personal limitations and one cannot leave the home, we just want to make the buyers feel comfortable moving throughout the home, and stay a while to give a lasting impression.
