So you have your home on the market and you are ready to have your house shown, then your agent calls that someone wants to see your home. What should you do?
It is always better for you to go for a walk or run an errand when your home is being shown, even though you know more about the house than anybody and may be afraid the agent will overlook something important. The agent knows how to show a home and knows how to present it but needs to be free to work with the buyers without distractions.
Buyers usually have their own reasons for buying a home, it may be based more on emotion than logic. That choice of decor that you so lovingly installed may not be the reason for buying but the little room off the kitchen that you saw no use for may be the real reason that they want the house. The buyer needs a little time to evaluate the home”s pluses and minuses and the agent needs the opportunity to deal with the buyer”s objections. This process cannot take place comfortably if the seller is on the scene. Your presence during showing may also make you appear to be anxious to the buyer giving them the impression that they can buy the house for much less than your asking price.
Typically when the seller is at the home during the showing, they have a tendency to volunteer unnecessary information in their attempt to sell the property and end up giving away more money than they would if they weren”t there. It is better if the buyer were to discover the home, it should speak for itself. Your most important contribution is to keep your home in prime showing condition so that the Realtor can maximize every showing opportunity.
The effort that you put into your home to make it shine can be beneficial for the sale of your property. It may mean asking for some extra help from the children or hiring short-term professional help to do needed maintenance and repairs. The importance of making a first impression on the real estate agents and potential buyers who come to tour your home cannot be overstated.
Look at your home objectively for any areas that you can see that needs minor repairs that would distract potential buyers. It may be something as simple as fixing a leaky faucet or repairing the trim on a cabinet. Remove the clutter and pack away the extra nick-knacks. Buyers may associate an untidy and cluttered home with poor maintenance of the structure, systems and appliances. This can discourage offers or may result in lower offers than the house may otherwise bring.
Ask your Realtor to suggest areas of your home that might be improved to make an excellent impression.
Ray Perry is the 2013 Realtor of the Year for Lake County and works for CPS Country Air Properties located in the Riviera Shopping Center. He can be reached at 277-8000.
