Guide to Showing Your Home

Guide to Showing Your Home

When you show your home, you want to engage the buyer emotionally because the decision to buy is usually based more on emotions then on logic. Give the buyer a reason to say, “I have to buy this home!” by accentuating your home’s positive features and not drawing any attention to the negative ones.

THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP WHEN SELLING YOUR HOME
Your home needs to be ready and available to show at all times. The only way to sell your home is to show it. Many sellers make the mistake of thinking that buyers will work around their schedule of showing availability but that’s not always the case. If it’s too difficult for buyers to get in to see your home, they may pass on it and buy the home down the street that was easy to get in to. Any restrictions of showing times will result in fewer buyers which could result in a longer time on the market, a lower price, or both. Sure, it’s inconvenient but you never know when your buyer is going to walk through your door.

CONSIDER USING A LOCKBOX ON YOUR HOME. 
We can set it up so that when an agent schedules a showing through ShowingTime and that showing is confirmed by you, the agent will be given your lockbox code. Lockboxes make it easy and convenient to show your home. You can’t sell your home if it’s not available for showings. You never know when your buyer is going to walk through your door and you don’t want to miss them. You can order a Lockbox through your .

HAVING A SELLER PRESENT DURING A SHOWING IS ALMOST ALWAYS A BAD IDEA
One of the most common mistakes sellers make is lingering around during home showings. While it might seem helpful or even necessary to be present, this practice almost always works against the seller’s best interests.

If a potential buyer has an agent, their agent will show your home to their buyer. If your buyer doesn’t have an agent, it will be up to you to show them your home. The best thing you can do either way is leave. If you are showing the home yourself, greet the potential buyer at the door and let them look freely through the house while you wait outside. Let them know that you will be right outside if they have any questions. If an agent is showing your home and you have a lockbox, leave before they get there. If you don’t have a lockbox, greet the agent and buyer at the door to let them in, then leave.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THE SELLER NOT TO BE PRESENT DURING A SHOWING?

• The Seller’s Presence Will Make the Buyer Feel Awkward
  

  When you remain in your home during a showing, potential buyers feel like intruders rather than future homeowners. They become hyper-aware of your presence, rushing through rooms without taking time to envision themselves in the space. Instead of opening closets, checking storage areas, or discussing renovation possibilities, they’ll likely conduct a hurried walkthrough to avoid appearing rude or intrusive.

  Most buyers need to emotionally connect with a property before making an offer. This connection rarely forms when they feel they’re touring someone else’s home rather than their potential new one. By removing yourself from showings, you create space for potential buyers to fall in love with your property on their own terms which is exactly what you want them to do. Your absence isn’t just a courtesy, it’s a strategic decision that typically results in better offers and a faster sale.

• Sellers Tend to Talk Too Much
  Some sellers feel like it’s their duty to walk the buyers and agents through the house and point out every single feature, finish, and upgrade. Honesty is always the best policy, of course, but don’t forget that this is a “sales” process, and that less is usually more. Without even realizing it sellers can give away information that gives the buyer the upper hand in negotiations or could scare a buyer away altogether. Even casual conversation can inadvertently reveal information that weakens your negotiating position. An innocent comment about your relocation timeline or your excitement about a pending offer on another home can give buyers leverage during price negotiations.

• Sellers Can Get Hurt Feelings Which Can Cost Them Money
  A seller may experience hurt feelings from comments by the buyer. This could lead to a negotiation that starts off on a bad note. For example, a buyer touring a home with a red brick fireplace wall may ask their agent how much it would cost to paint it white. The seller loves the fireplace wall and is upset the buyer would consider painting it. When the offer comes in, the seller can’t help but respond with their emotions and make negotiating with the buyer difficult.

OTHER TIPS FOR SHOWING YOUR HOME

The Gracious Welcome

• Although the buyer is a guest in your home, you want the buyer to imagine owning the home. You don’t want to make the buyer feel like an intruder.
• Don’t expect the buyer to remove their shoes unless you are selling to a buyer for whom religious or cultural reasons mandate it. Otherwise the presumption might be insulting.
• Leave the house. The buyer won’t talk about the house in front of you or open doors with you standing there.
• Don’t pressure or hurry the buyer. Tell the buyer to take all the time that is needed.
• Leave a bowl of wrapped candy or other treats near the front door with a small note thanking the buyer for coming to see your home.

Keep Your House Clean & Tidy

• All rooms should be clean including the kitchen and bathrooms.
• Close toilet lids.
• Make sure all beds are made.
• Keep the yard mowed and/or leaves raked up.
• Put away any outdoor tools, bikes, and toys.

Check the Room Temperature

• Now is not the time to worry about your utility bill. If it’s cold enough to wear a sweater to stay warm, turn on the heat. Don’t make buyers shiver or wish they could roll up in your rug for warmth.
• If it’s warm outside, turn on the air conditioning. It’s better to heat or cool the house a degree or two warmer / colder than usual and then set the temperature at normal. This prevents the heat or A/C from kicking on when the buyer is present because some HVAC systems can be loud.
• You want the temperature inside to be comfortable and to give the buyer more of a reason to linger, especially on hot or cold days!

Create a Mood

• Light a fire in the fireplace if it’s a chilly day.
• Turn on soft music to set the mood.
• If you have water fountains, turn them on. They are especially useful for drowning out traffic noise or the neighbors next door.

Play Down the Scent

• Many people are allergic to certain scents so don’t spray heavy perfumes or scents. Besides, many buyers will wonder what you are trying to cover up. A nice neutral scented candle or plug in is fine just don’t overdo it.
• If weather permits, open the windows unless there is too much noise outside.
• If you’re going to bake cookies or simmer spices such as cinnamon in water on the stove, put out munchies so buyers aren’t disappointed. More than one buyer has said, “Oh, darn, I thought there were cookies in here!”

Play Up the Visual

• If you have seasonal photographs showcasing flower gardens, leaves bursting in color, or a snow-covered lawn twinkling from street lights, then display them in a prominent position.
• Open all the window coverings to let in light.
• Keep blinds partially closed that otherwise show undesirable outdoor scenery such as a dilapidated fence or a nearby structure that obstructs views.

Light Up the House

• Turn on every light in the house including appliance lights and closet lights.
• Brighten dark rooms with few windows by placing spot lights on the floor behind furniture.
• For evening showings, turn on all outdoor lights.

Conceal the Critters.

• Not only should you not be home during a showing but neither should your pets. If you absolutely can’t take your pets out of your home, put them in cages or crates preferably out of the way in the garage or basement.
• Many people have allergies or deep fears of cats or dogs and walking into a house with one or the other can put a buyer in panic mode.
• No buyer wants to have a strange dog jump up on them as soon as they walk in the door.
• Make sure the litter box is clean at all times and move it into the garage or basement if possible.
• Keep your home free of pet hair on the floors and furniture.
• As much as you love your pets, you have to be mindful that not all buyers are dog or cat people.

Put Away Your Valuables & Personal Items

• Put all personal mail and bills away. You don’t want a buyer to see a “past due” notice sitting on your dining room table.
• Don’t leave money, credit cards, or jewelry out in the open.
• Put away prescription medications.

Provide Thoughtful Cards

• Attach printed cards to items and in rooms that provide further information the buyer might miss or might not know. You have so little time to make an impression.
• If you have an antique chandelier in your dining room, put a card on it that discloses its age and other important details.
• If you have removed the washer and dryer from the laundry room, attach a card to the wall describing the room.
• If your basement stairs are steep, attach a card to the railing that cautions buyers to watch their step.
• Don’t overdo it. No buyer wants to see post its and cards everywhere all over the house, it’s too distracting.

Top It Off With Food

• The best way to entice buyers to linger and notice even more details about your home is to offer them food. You don’t need to cater a lunch, but finger sandwiches, cookies, soft drinks, water, desserts, all are welcome. Buyers who are nibbling on snacks are not that eager to leave and might notice more of what your home has to offer.
• Set out serving utensils, if needed.
• Provide plates, cups, and napkins. They can be paper products.
• Make sure a trash can is in clear site for their waste.