Every Wednesday is Realtor Tour day in the Benton and Linn county areas. This is a time when we agents get to view homes that are new to the market. Anne and I try to see 5 or 6 homes when we do this. It’s a great way for us to stay in touch with the market and an opportunity to see the homes before our clients do. Today we saw a few homes and they were all different. Some homes are presented better than others. Below are actual listing fails that we have encountered in our market place today. Experienced agents will tell you how to handle these issues. Here are the Do’s and Don’ts that we would share with our clients:
1. Don’t: leave your porch muddy and then ask people to remove their shoes inside the home. Have we mentioned that first impressions are everything? The front porch or front door step is often overlooked when preparing a home for sale. When Anne and I are showing a house, we spend some time with our clients on the front porch while we retrieve the key from the electronic lock box. This allows ample time for the buyers to look at the siding, the porch, the paint, etc. Technically, the showing has already started before we even enter the home. We want to leave buyers with positive memories. If we see mud, cobwebs, or clutter outside, the buyers will leave with negative memories. What’s worse is when there is a sign and booties placed by the front door, asking us to remove our shoes, where there is a clear mud path tracked inside. Most of us prefer not to walk in our stocking feet in mud.
2. Do: create a welcoming entrance with décor. Here is a great example of a home we saw today that had a good front porch. The turquoise chairs are a great accent to the neutral paint colors. When Anne and I stood here while unlocking the home, we noticed many things that made it feel like a well cared for home. There was fresh bark in the flower beds, the exterior paint seemed newer, and the décor and furniture helped it feel inviting.
3. Don’t: leave the lights off and the toilet lids up! Leaving the lights on is very important when your home is being shown. If its too dark, people will feel like the home is cave-like. Most people like a light and bright home. Its all about allowing buyers to dream about living there themselves. If they can see the space well, they can imagine where their own furniture will go. If they aren’t distracted by your things, they can use their imaginations. Toilet lids can be a distraction for a couple of reasons. A, some people don’t leave them very clean and B, it just calls attention to the toilet and not the house. Do you want them to remember your home? Or your toilet?
4. Do: keep an organized kitchen. We saw a fabulous example of a kitchen that was organized well and decorated. A tidy kitchen helps buyers imagine themselves cooking in the kitchen. If they see cluttered cabinets, they may wonder if the kitchen cabinets are too small to put their own pots and pans in. If its organized and tidy, they will not question whether their stuff will fit.
Stay tuned every week for the latest listing Do’s and Don’ts. Avoid having your own home under the “Don’ts” list by consulting with the Fahy Real Estate Professionals for trusted real estate guidance.