Selling a home requires an attractive price, an appealing space, and maybe even a bit of luck. However, you can't rely on chance alone when you want to sell a home fast. Showing the home is one of the most effective parts in selling the home. If you've had a home showing but no offers, the showing itself may be the issue. Here are some home-showing tips for sellers to increase the chances of getting offers and a signed contract.
Maximize the Home's Best Features
Identify the home's strong points and work the showing around them. Does the home boast a large, airy kitchen? Then set up the showing so the buyer enters and exits through it. Large closets? Organize them fastidiously to show off all the expansive space. Add the home's best features to the top of the home showing checklist and make them the stars. As for the less-than-ideal features of the home, don't avoid them altogether. Instead, focus the bulk of the showing on the positive aspects of the home.
Clean and Clean Again
One of the biggest buyer turnoffs is a house that's messy, cluttered, and dirty. The sellers should either clean the home themselves or hire a service to deep clean every nook and cranny of the house. Buyers will be looking at every room with fresh eyes and notice issues like dirty window sills, dusty baseboards, and less-than-sparkling bathroom tile. An untidy home detracts from the entire aspect of each space, from the overall atmosphere to the ability for buyers to feel immediately cozy and comfortable. If the home doesn't sell immediately, set a high standard of clean and keep the house spotless the entire time it's being shown. Once your house is pristine, plan on how to...
Engage the Senses
Tap into buyers' sense of smell by having a lightly scented candle burning. Or bake cookies so the scent will welcome them as soon as they walk in. Lay out plush pillows and throws and vacuum the carpet immediately before the showing to engage and please their sense of touch. Use lighting to appeal to their sense of sight, from opening windows and doors to turning on lamps. Also add bold, colorful fruits like lemons and oranges to a beautiful bowl to draw their eyes. Set out those cookies you baked or fresh pastries to indulge their sense of taste as they are leaving. This is also a good time to ask for feedback on the showing to see if there is any serious interest.
Give Them Ample Time
You may not be able to offer unlimited time for a potential buyer to linger, but don't rush them through on a strict schedule. None of us like to feel rushed and it sometimes creates stress and irritation. Give the buyers time in each space to examine the features and storage, and to soak up the feel of the home. It's better to let two showings run into each other than to push buyers along before they're ready to move.
Remove Your Animals
Nothing derails a promising showing like a barking dog or a hissing cat. Make every effort to remove your pets from the house during showings. Ask a friend to watch them or take them to the kennel. At the least, put dogs outside. Otherwise, even the most well-behaved pets may turn buyers off and prolong the entire selling process.
Walk Through Before They Arrive
Once you've set the scene and removed potential pitfalls, it's time to "be the buyer" by slowly walking the house and seeing it with new eyes. Start at the door and traverse the route the buyers will take. Straighten anything that's out of place, pick up anything on the floor, pick off plants' dead leaves, and fluff all the pillows and window treatments. A last-minute walk through helps you catch and rectify issues that could take away from the showing.
Allow Unrestricted Access
If the showing includes a locked door or an off-limit room, that's going to be all the buyer is wondering about. Teenagers who want their privacy need to make allowances during the selling process. If one area of your home is the "junk room," take time to clean it out and make it presentable rather than close the door and refuse to let the buyer see it. The door to every room needs to be open and the buyer should be able to look in closets and cabinets and peek out the windows. If you're just beginning the home-showing process or have been at it a while and have had no offers, following these tips gives you a distinct advantage. Create a welcoming, pleasing, clean atmosphere and allow potential buyers to examine it without being rushed, and with unrestricted access. Follow up with a short de-brief to receive home showing feedback, if possible. Putting some extra planning and effort into the home showing can reap rewards like a shorter selling process and a higher selling price. At The Real Estate Firm, our agents are experienced in the home-showing process and will ensure you have a remarkable real estate experience. Our agents have a team behind them to make sure everything goes smoothly. Contact us by calling 865-770-4030 or fill out our online form to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.