On The Market: Tips For Showing Your Home

You know what they say about first impressions. Never is a first impression more important than when selling a home.  From curb to master bedroom, potential buyers closely examine every nut and bolt of architecture, aesthetic, design, and flow.  Let me share with you tips for showing your home.

Tips for showing your home

The question of numbers is always important in the home game.  Most home buyers have a set checklist saved to memory of the selling points that will speak to their needs. What information to furnish is as easy as recalling the questions you had before purchasing the property. This applies to self listed or Realtor showings. Based strictly upon our experiences as both, the general FAQ sheet provided to potential buyers at showings and open houses supplied information and hit the home buying high notes:

FAQ Sheet Suggestions:

Homeowner warranty

Sellers possible participation in closing fees

Age of property

Builder/architect name if available

Average utility bill amount

School district and zonings

Alarm system information (homeowners insurance discount)

Neighborhood Fire Department location (homeowners insurance information)

Age of roof

Age of HVAC unit

Energy efficient features

Clearly convey to your realtor what, if any, items are not included with the sale of the home (reserved).  Include this information on the information sheet.

 

guest table

Holding an open house is a great way to showcase the property. A welcome table should greet potential buyers with important home information, a FAQ sheet, and refreshment.  My refreshment of choice is ice water with lemon slices.  In case of a spill, water is easy to clean up without muss, fuss, or stain.  Provide sharpened pencils and notepads for potential buyers to use for taking notes.  If they’re writing it’s a good sign they’re interested.

lemon water

Encourage open house attendees to take a FAQ sheet with them as they view the property.  Potential buyers often hesitate asking questions. Viewing real estate can be an overwhelming process- leaving potential buyers easily distracted in the moment.  Being a proactive seller and information provider puts potential buyers in the know and you ahead of the game.

First-Alert-The-Fire-Protector-Key-Lock-Safe

Another thing to offer potential buyers when viewing the home- benign neglect.  Buyers want the freedom to move about the home and make comments- good or bad.  If your home is listed with a realtor, by all means leave the showing to the agent.  If self selling, allow the potential buyers to look and inspect on their own.  Before showings or open houses, perform seller due diligence.  Secure valuables, removing items from stairs, and make arrangements for the pets to be absent from the home during this time.  It is just the prudent, liability safe and responsible thing to do.

lawn boy lawn mower

 

Now to the package that will sell the product- exterior and interior home appeal.  Maintain and manicure the lawn, hedges, and flowerbeds. Pressure wash away any signs of mold or mildew on walkways, decks, siding, soffit and fascia.  Remove chipping paint from soffit, fascia, exterior doors, windows, etc… and coat it up fresh.  Wash windows and porches.  What you may have turned a blind eye to will be the one thing potential buyers zero in on.  Trust me on this one!

paint-brush

Paint weighs in again as a solution for affordable updating.  Glue down any wallpaper edges that have curled up.  A couple of drops of Elmer’s School Glue will do the trick.  Declutter kitchen and bathroom countertops.  Utilize decorative storage options such as baskets to less the mess.  Consider new cabinet and drawer hardware for a quick and affordable update.

grey-flat-front-kitchen-cabinets-antique-brass-hardwareDecorPad

Size and space matters! Pay close attention to closets and cabinets.  Edit clutter from all closets.  A small closet will appear bigger if it is well organized.

It’s all in the presentation!

Select a cabinet and a drawer in the kitchen and bathrooms to organize and leave open.  Most interested buyers will open them anyway, so why not have them organized, opened and ready for inspection.

slettvoll Slettvoll

Promote an inviting and comfortable effect by turning on the lights.  Turn on the lights in each room including table and/or floor lamp(s).

Open window blinds/raise window shades.

Make sure to set the thermostat to a comfortable company’s coming setting.  It’s hard to focus on the business at hand when the temperature in the house is either too hot or too cold.  

Empty all trash cans.

Make the entire house smell so good with the inviting and delicious scent of vanilla.  Pure vanilla extract is not an overpowering scent, and makes the house smell so nice.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Pour ½ cup of vanilla extract into an oven proof baking dish and place in oven for 30 minutes.  

pure vanillaPure Vanilla Extract from King Arthur Flour

These tips for showing your home offer sound and selling advice. Take the time to set the stage and offer potential buyers a visual of style.  Minimal effort and money on this side of the listing can make a huge difference on the other side of sold.