House Showing: The Dos and Don’ts Of House Showings When Your Home Is For Sale

So you’ve got your home listed for sale. Now, it is time to show off your beautiful home and all that prep work you did. Let’s tell you what you can expect and how to get your house ready for a showing.

What Is a House Showing?

A house showing is when prospective buyers tour your home. Pictures and video tours only do so much. Most serious buyers are going to want to tour your home. Buyers will be accompanied by their real estate agent.

What Is An Open House?

An open house is an opportunity for anyone in the community to come to view a home for sale.  Potential homebuyers, or even people who are just being a bit nosy, do not need to make an appointment to view the home.  Instead, a real estate agent will be at the property the day and time of the open house to greet visitors and give them the opportunity to view the home.

A house showing is different from an open house in that it is an appointment set by one particular prospective buyer. The buyer reaches out to their agent and requests a private showing. An open house is when your real estate agent hosts an opportunity for anyone to walk through the home without making an appointment. So, which is better?

Both are great. An open house lets lots of people come to the home at once. It also is a lesser commitment for buyers; it gives buyers a way to just put their toe in the pool. But, due to this, people coming to an open house may not be as serious or may be early in their home purchase process. On the other hand, private showings are much stronger. These buyers have usually been vetted by their agent and are more ready to take action.

What Is A Lockbox House Showing?

A lockbox house showing is a showing for one specific buyer on the appointment day and time so a prospective homebuyer can tour a home for sale.  In order to see a home with a lockbox, buyers will need to schedule an appointment to view the home with a real estate agent or the listing agent.

A gated, or lockbox house showing is preferred if you want to be the only party viewing the property at a given time.  Most home showings are done this way.

Home Showing Process

A prospective buyer will request a private showing with his or her agent. The buyer’s agent will reach out to the seller’s agent to get approval. Once the approval is received, the appointment is set.  This will alert you to start getting your house ready for showing.

The buyer will meet his or her agent at the property. Buyers without a real estate agent may contact the listing agent.  In this instance, the listing agent will show the house.

Buyers will look through the home and oftentimes have questions. Buyers will look at things and touch some things, but they should not be too intrusive. Yes, a prospective buyer will open closets to see their size. But a buyer should not be opening every kitchen drawer or the washer and dryer or going through personal property such as dressers.

Once the showing is complete, the buyer’s agent should provide feedback. This feedback is the most valuable information to a home seller. This feedback will give the seller an idea of what to improve to get the home sold.

Things To Do When Showing Your Home for Sale

Here are the top tips you can use as a house showing checklist to ensure prospective homebuyers have a great experience when touring your home for sale.  Let’s talk about the dos and don’ts when showing your house.  I’ll start with what to do when showing your house for sale.

Stage Your Home

One of the things to do before showing a house is to stage it.  Staging your home will improve homebuyers’ experience when showing your home for sale.  Your home should be staged so that all of the rooms and spaces illustrate their best or most likely use.  Additionally, including trendy accent elements go a long way in improving the overall aesthetic sentiment of your home.  Stage your home to excite buyers.  You can do this by making your home appear open, inviting, and engaging.

Things To Put Away

When preparing your house for showing make sure to protect your privacy and secure valuables. Anything of meaningful financial value or sentimental value, lock it up or get it out of the house. Real estate agents are trained to watch for bad behavior. Also, accidents do happen. Additionally, we understand some people keep firearms or other weapons in their homes. Have these locked up or removed from the home.

Cleanliness Goes A Long Way

Another things to do when showing your house is to clean it.  Clean homes sell.  Dirty homes do not.  Make sure to follow this checklist before an open house or home showing so your visitors have a great experience.

• The trash has been taken out
• No dirty laundry laying about
• No dirty dishes in the sink
• Put away pet toys
• Clean cat litter boxes so they are fresh
• Make the beds
• Toilet seats and lids down, always!
• Give your bathrooms a good once over
• Vacuum and sweep up
• Do a quick trip around the yard and tidy up anything out of place

Lights On & Keep It Comfortable

I understand wanting to minimize energy use.  But, you would be wise to make an exception when you are selling your home.  Follow these tips to keep your house for sale lit, bright, and comfortable during home showings and open houses.

• Open all of the shades and curtains
• Turn on all of the lights in each room
• In the summer, turn on the air conditioning to keep it cool, but not cold
• In the winter, turn up the heat to keep it warm, but not hot
• Make sure to turn on outdoor lighting, too

Pets

Get them out. If you can’t, put them out or locked up so they do not interact with the prospective buyers. Also, make sure your real estate agent has informed the showing agent there are pets in the home. Put away their toys, treats, and bowls. Also, if you have a litter box, clean it out. Or, even consider removing it from the home during the showing.

Practice Your Home Tour Routine

This one is more important if you are selling your as a for sale by owner.  I understand with no real estate agent involved you will be taking prospective homebuyers on a tour.  Decide where you want to start, where you want to finish, and what features you want to point out.  Practice your routine and presentation.

There are a few pointers that I would like to give you, too.  First, start with the inside of the home.  Most people want to view the inside first.  Secondly, take it floor by floor.  Third, get them to the kitchen quickly.  Lastly, if your bedrooms are larger than a typical home point out this fact.  Larger bedroom sizes are attractive to a lot of buyers.

Let Them Take Their Time

Showings usually last about 15 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the home. If you drive by and they are still there, just leave. Countless times my buyers have overstayed their showing appointment time. But, you want to know why? Because they loved the house. Many times I have started writing an offer at the kitchen table of the home we are standing in. If the buyers are taking a little longer, let them go. Give them a little break because they could be falling in love with your home.

Leave

Do you have to leave when you are showing your home? No, it is your home. However, I have shown homes with the owners present. It’s terrible. The buyers are in and out. They quickly forget about the house and just disregard it. They feel like they did not get a fair shot. Also, this is equally true about sitting in your car at the end of the driveway. Don’t do it. This hurries the buyer and puts you in their mind. Don’t do that. You want a buyer to be thinking about buying your house and not why you are at the end of the driveway.

Pay Attention To Curb Appeal

You may be surprised to know a good amount of homebuyers will drive past your home before their scheduled showing.  If your home looks unkept from the street buyers could cancel their showing request or even decide not to ask to see the home.  Also, your home’s curb appeal is the first impression a home buyer has upon seeing your house for sale.  Keep it looking sharp.  Following these tips will increase your curb appeal and make your home ready for a house showing or open house.

• Mow the grass.  If the clippings are heavy bag those up.
• Rake up large amounts of leaves
• Weed out flower beds and landscaped areas
• Trim bushes
• Throw in some flowers even if they are in containers to give your home some added vibrancy

Prepare To Answer Questions About Your Home

If you are selling your home by owner and taking buyers on a tour you need to be prepared to answer questions about your home.  This should not be an issue for someone who has owned the home for a meaningful amount of time.

I encourage you to answer the questions you are asked about the home.  Of course, always be honest with your answers.  If the buyer asks a question you do not know the answer tell them the buyer so.  Maybe you have never had to address the issue in question; therefore, you do not have an answer.  Alternatively, if you do not know the answer just say so, and you should let the buyer know you will follow up with him or her.

Things Not To Do When Showing Your Home for Sale

There are definitely some things you want to avoid doing when showing your home for sale.  Follow these tips to keep things from turning off the buyers or from getting awkward.

Odors

Don’t bake cookies. Don’t overdo it with candles, air fresheners, or anything like that. Do you want to know what a home should smell like? Nothing. It should smell like nothing at all.

Leaving Out Food & Drinks

Don’t leave food or drinks out for your guests. It is a distraction. You want the prospective buyers focused on one thing. Buying your home. Keep them focused.

Stay To Talk The Buyers Into The House

I covered leaving in the Things To Do section, but it is worth repeating. Leave the home. As a real estate agent, I can tell, you can’t talk people into buying a particular house. Homeowners rarely improve their situation by trying to talk up their homes. Leave it to the real estate agents to do what we do.

Skimp On Heating Or Cooling

Making your guests comfortable includes the temperature. If your home is too hot or too cold the buyers will not be able to concentrate and take their time while viewing the home.  Instead, they will be distracted by their discomfort.  Don’t cheap out on the heating and cooling.  Remember, it is the home you are selling so make the home comfortable and a place where they would want to be.

Conclusion

I hope you have learned a little more about what you can expect when selling your home and the showing process. If you are located in Northwest Indiana and thinking about selling your home feel free to contact us. We offer the lowest rates in the area. We manage all stages of the home selling process including showings. Get started by completing the Quadwalls Interactive Home Valuation Experience.