Showing Your Home

Now that you’ve spruced up and made your repairs, you’re ready to show your home. You want to make sure the buyers feel welcome and can see your home in the best possible light. Here are some general checklist items to keep in mind before showing your home to prospective buyers:

Keep it clean

Keep your home as neat and clean as possible every day, to accommodate any last minute showings. Have beds made, pick up any traces of your everyday life such as no papers scattered on your desk, no empty glasses setting around, no shaving cream on the bathroom sink or dirty laundry overflowing the hamper. Kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities should be almost bare. Try your best to have it look like a model home – a home with furniture but nobody really living there J This writer always hoped that prospective buyers would not look under her bed while viewing her home!

Make it available

Your house should always be available for show, even though it may occasionally be inconvenient for you. Dreamcatcher will always call and set the showing appointments with you. Generally you will get at least a day’s notice, but occasionally you will get a call for a spur of the moment showing. Always keep in mind that impulsive buyers can also lead to quick offers.

Get lost

Homebuyers will feel like intruders if you are home when they visit, and they might not be as receptive toward viewing your home. If you can’t leave, try to remain in an out of the way area or outside. Do not volunteer any information, but answer any questions the broker may ask.

Pet control

Many people have a fear of animals (especially dogs), so it is always best if you can take your pets with you when you leave the house. If you can’t do that, it is best to keep dogs in a penned area in the back yard and your cat in a carrier, in a quiet place. Before you leave with the “kids”, vacuum up any pet hair, stash the dog beds and put that clean litter box out of site.

Welcome your guests

Think about placing some candy or cookies along with some bottled water near the front door with a small note thanking the buyer for coming to see your home.

Create ambiance

In the mood to sell your home? Light a fire in the fireplace, place fresh flowers on the table, put on some soft instrumental music, turn on a tabletop fountain or anything else to seduce the buyer into loving your home.

Check the temperature

You want the temperature inside your home to be comfortable and to give the buyer more of a reason to linger, especially on hot or cold days!

Light it up

Before you leave your home turn on all the indoor and outdoor lights and open all blinds and draperies, even during the day. It will brighten up any dim areas and make the home look more cozy and cheerful.

Play down scent

Many people find the smells of strong cleaning products or air freshener’s offensive, not to mention that some may be allergic to them. Open up the windows if the day permits, brew a pot of coffee or put a drop of vanilla in a potpourri pot to freshen up without any chemical smell.

Provide Information Cards

This is a good idea if you have some unique components to your home, such as your kiva fireplace was sculpted by famed craftsman Carmen Velarde or your cabinets were thoughtfully hand-crafted by Natural Builders. Attach printed cards to items to provide further information the buyer might miss or might not know.

Note to webmasters: you may reprint the above article in its entirety provided that you give credit in the form of an active link, please credit as follows: This article reprinted with permission of: www.TaosNewMexico.com