Selling Your Property
Convenience and Availability
Your house should always be
available for show, even though it may occasionally be
inconvenient for you. Let your listing agent put a lock
box in a convenient place, to make it easy for other
agents to show your home to homebuyers. Otherwise,
agents will have to schedule appointments, which is an
inconvenience. Most will just skip your home to show the
house of someone else who is more cooperative.
Most agents will call and give you
at least a couple of hours notice before showing your
property. If you refuse to let them show it at that
time, they will just skip your house. Even if they come
back another time, it will probably be with different
buyers and you may have just lost a chance to sell your
home.
Why You Should Not Be Home
Homebuyers will feel like
intruders if you are home when they visit, and they
might not be as receptive toward viewing your home.
Visit the local coffee house, yogurt shop, or take the
kids to the local park. If you absolutely cannot leave,
try to remain in an out of the way area of the house and
do not move from room to room. Do not volunteer any
information, but answer any questions the agent may ask.
Lighting, Fragrances, Pet
Control and More
Lighting: When you know someone is
coming by to tour your home, turn on all the indoor and
outdoor lights – even during the day. At night, a lit
house gives a "homey" impression when viewed from the
street. During the daytime, turning on the lights
prevents harsh shadows from sunlight and it brightens up
any dim areas. Your house looks more homey and cheerful
with the lights on.
Fragrances: Do not use scented
sprays to prepare for visitors. It is too obvious and
many people find the smells of those sprays offensive,
not to mention that some may be allergic. If you want to
have a pleasant aroma in your house, have a potpourri
pot or something natural. Or turn on a stove burner for
a moment and put a drop of vanilla extract on it. It
will smell like you have been cooking.
Pet Control: If you have pets,
make sure your listing agent puts a notice with your
listing in the multiple listing service. The last thing
you want is to have your pet running out the front door
and getting lost. If you know someone is coming, it
would be best to try to take the pets with you while the
homebuyers tour your home. If you cannot do that, It is
best to keep dogs in a penned area in the back yard. Try
to keep indoor cats in a specific room when you expect
visitors, and put a sign on the door. Most of the time,
an indoor cat will hide when buyers come to view your
property, but they may panic and try to escape.
The Kitchen Trash: Especially if
your kitchen trash can does not have a lid, make sure
you empty it every time someone comes to look at your
home – even if your trash can is kept under the kitchen
sink. Remember that you want to send a positive image
about every aspect of your home. Kitchen trash does not
send a positive message. You may go through more plastic
bags than usual, but it will be worth it.
Keeping the House Tidy and
Neat
Not everyone makes his or her bed
every day, but when selling a home it is recommended
that you develop the habit. Pick up papers, do not leave
empty glasses in the family room, keep everything
freshly dusted and vacuumed. Try your best to have it
look like a model home – a home with furniture but
nobody really lives there.
All articles © 2000
RealEstate ABC. No articles may be reprinted or
displayed without permission.
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