Ins and Outs of Showing Your House
This is it! The icing on your cake! The moment you’ve been waiting forever since you decide to sell your home. The price is right, the marketing is going well, and you watch the response with enthusiasm. The homebuyers are coming! It’s now time to take your marketing to the next level: Stage an Open house. How are you preparing for it? You’ve inspected, checked and cleaned your house thoroughly. You made sure everything’s in place. Showings are, after all, the chance to impress the homebuyers by flaunting everything your house has.
Now relax. Showing your home to homebuyers is especially easy when you’re trying to sell your own house by yourself. This is a good opportunity to get personal – homebuyers would want to see more than just the house they saw in the advertisement picture. As you move throughout the house, pay special attention to objects that created some memories during your stay. Things like “My father does this beautiful carving when he was 18” will add some personal note to your home. And while you’re on the business of using your family, don’t hesitate to let your family members take part. Assign jobs for them in advance for emergencies or short-notice showings.
You want the homebuyer’s full attention on your house. But at the same time you want some elements on your house to be insignificant enough to provide a comfortable environment. Make sure the house is well aired and lighted by opening windows (during possible weathers) and positioning all the coverings to show maximum sunlight. A dark house, especially when it’s a big house, will create the effect of gloom and depression; not exactly the kind of house you’d buy.
During those times when you’re forced to keep all your windows shut, make sure smells fresh and clean. Some homeowners will bake cookies to keep that “fresh” air feeling, but if you’re not keen on taking it that far, just be sure to wipe out any pet / bathroom odors or smoke. During house showings, the air should be fresh and clean.
Having a pet around is highly discouraged. No matter how well behaved they are, or how much the homebuyers may love them, it’s not a good idea to bring out your animal. God knows what kind of behavior they can suddenly break into in front of your guests!
Last of all, if an agent is showing your home to homebuyers try as hard as you can, not to be at home. Homebuyers tend to feel like intruders when they’re checking details of a house with its owners watching.