Tips for a Successful Home Showing

Your home is up for sale. You have a sign in the front yard. There are color brochures prepared and now you need a showing.

In this market showings may not happen right away. It used to be that when we listed a home we could expect a showing withing 48 hours. In this market we know it could be 10-12 days or more before a home is shown. Do not be surprised if you have limited activity. Remember you are not going to have many chances to hit a home run, so be ready and then follow these tips.

An agent calls to arrange a showing. They will in many cases call you direct. This depends on the arrangement you and your Realtor have selected.

In the Peachtree Corners and Berkeley Lake market, most listing agents prefer that the buyer’s agent call you directly because they do not want you to miss out on a showing. The agent will call and give you a time period when they wish to show your home. This saves several steps in the process.

There are two things that are instilled in every new listing agent that they will likely share with you. One is that the goal is to make your home look as close to a model home as possible. Two is that you do not live like you sell.

Follow these tips for a successful home showing.

Your home should be staged and ready to show. This will have taken place before your home was listed for sale.

These items are last minute ideas for successful showing.

1. Go outside to the front door. Check glass around door. Check exterior around front door for cobwebs and to make sure it is sparkly clean. Sweep porch or stoop. Check front porch lights to make sure they are clean. This is an area that is easy to miss since many homeowners seldom use their front door. It is said that many buying decisions are made by buyers standing at the front door waiting the 10 or 15 seconds for their buyer's agent to unlock the front door.

2. All interior lights should be on. Do a quick walk through of the house. Make sure blinds are open. Check to make sure there are no surprises like jewelery left out or a sock drawer not closed.  

3. Check bathrooms. Make sure toilet lid is down and towels are fresh. Fluff bathroom rugs. Put cosmetics and hairdryers and personal items away. You can keep a basket handy to toss items into and put away before the showing.

4. In the kitchen, make sure counter tops are clean and free of any unnecessary items. Make sure dishwasher is clean. Do a quick fingerprint check on appliances. Check overhead lights and make sure they are all working. If you have the candle shaped lights take a damp towel and clean the bulbs while off and cool of course.

5. Do a smell check. Did you cook fish last night? If so, find a candle to light or put a lemon or lime down the garbage disposal. Another trick is to turn your oven on warm, put vanilla or cinnamon or both on  a piece of bread and put it in oven. Remember if you can smell it you cannot sell it.

6. Remove wilted or dead plants or flowers! While you are on the market, fresh colorful flowers on the kitchen table get you a lot of mileage. If you have been trying to save a plant, put it in the garage or on the deck while your home is being for shown.

7. Decks and patios should look ready for entertaining.

8. If you have animals, get them out of the home if possible. Ask a friend or family member who does not live in your home, if they smell cat or dog odors in your home. Keep kitty litter in perfect condition. In many cases, if someone walks into a home and smells animal odor, they will turn and walk out without even viewing the remainder of the home. If you have a smoker in your family, I hope they have been smoking outside before you were listed, regardless, once listed do not allow anyone to smoke in the house.

9. Leave your home when it is being shown by a Realtor.

Now you are ready for that buyer looking for the home of their dreams. This sounds like a lot but it takes a small amount of time and there will be huge return in money and buyers for your efforts.

For a five page list of tips for getting your home ready for sale, send me an email at nancy@minor.net and I will send you a copy via email. Use this list as a guide to get your home ready to sell next week, next summer or next year.

There are two new on the market and homes of many people's dreams.

It is located at 5120 Riverlake Drive in the Wellington Lake subdivision with features too many to mention. This home has 5 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, a lake front lot, finished terrace level and three car side entry garage. The home is priced at $900,000. To view the home online go to 5120RiverlakeDrive.info

Also located in the Wellington Lake subdivision is a beautiful home at 4940 Riverlake Drive. It has 5 bedrooms and 5 full baths plus a 5-car garage. The kitchen features granite counter tops and commercial grade stainless steel appliances. The home is priced at $525,000. To view this home online go to 4940RiverlakeDrive.info  Quick closing possible.

Editor's note: Nancy Minor is a Realtor with . Her office is located in Peachtree Corners.

Download the movie