Preparing Your Home for Sale

In a slower real estate market, sellers cannot afford to ignore any part of the marketing process. Price, preparation, and presentation must be excellent in order to attract a buyer. The price must be set realistically. Preparation should include fresh paint, de-cluttering, updated floor materials, and no glaring repair needs. And, presentation should be meticulous, with drapes open, lights on, lawn mowed, and interior cleaned.

Showing your home is the final step in winning the heart of a buyer. When a buyer calls for a showing, he or she already has an interest in your neighborhood and may have viewed your home online. They are willing to invest time to visit your home. It is worth the effort to make each showing one that will be remembered. Here are some questions to consider:

IS YOUR HOME EASY TO SHOW?
If possible, be willing to schedule showings in the same manner used by the majority of the homeowners in your area. The Charlotte Regional Realtor Association uses a company called Centralized Showing Service to schedule appointments. The easiest way for a Realtor to schedule a showing is for you to agree to allow a secure lock box on your property and approve showings with a “Courtesy Call” from CSS. CSS will call you to let you know what time an appointment is being requested. If you do not answer they will leave a message and approve the showing. Remember that this will be the buyer’s first contact with your home, and it should set a positive tone. Make the buyer and agent feel welcome. Be as flexible on timing as possible. The buyer may be viewing many homes over a large area.

Remember, marketing your home and living in your home can be very challenging. In an age of technology that allows us instant access to information there are times when you may not get as much notice as you would like. Please try to be flexible and understanding when this happens. The agent and buyer who are asking to “see your home in the next 10 minutes” may be the ones that fall in love with it! If this happens, start by thanking the agent for their interest and welcome them into your home when possible. Agents try very hard not to inconvenience sellers unless they have no other choice. When a buyer is interested we try to accommodate that interest!

I can recall instances in which the seller came to the door in a hostile way and demanded to know why we were 30 minutes late. Or, the buyers sensed that they were inconveniencing the seller or their agent by asking to see the house. Many people have a strong reluctance to intrude or bother other people. Remember that the decision to buy a home is an emotional response. Don’t turn people off before they come in the door.

DOES YOUR HOME HAVE EMOTIONAL APPEAL?
Buyers use all of their senses to experience your home. The buyer is there to make a big decision, and they will be comparison shopping. Their job is to eliminate homes and reduce the list of choices. A dark interior, unpleasant smell, barking dog, or uncomfortable temperature can take the home off the list.

We see buyers rule out homes all the time that they shouldn’t because of an immediate emotional response to something that may be easy to change. The simple experience of being in the home during the showing can give a strong indication to the buyer whether they will enjoy actually living in the home. Consider a builder’s model home. It’s very light and fashionably decorated, with soft music and pleasant scents. This sends a message to the buyer that the home has been prepared for him, and he is welcome to enter. It is typical in new home communities for the model home to be the biggest seller. Buyers buy what they see, not what they can imagine. Even the smallest things can make a big difference.

Some tips: Take off some screens, open blinds, increase wattage in lights, play light music, and make sure the temperature is perfect. Be sure your home has an appealing odor. Our sense of smell creates one of the strongest emotional responses we have. Create a good mood with natural and lamp light. Use pillows, framed photographs, books, fresh towels and flowers throughout the home. Avoid having the TV on. Be very aware of cat litter boxes or other potential pet odors.

ARE YOU STAGED AND READY?
Sellers often ask if it would be best to show their home furnished or vacant. The idea that a home must be “staged” to show in its best light has been touted heavily in the last few years. So, what does it mean to “stage” your home?

If your home is vacant even minor flaws tend to show. The worn spot on the carpet in front of the couch is front and center in a vacant home. The little hand prints going up the stairs seem to glare at you if that is all there is to look at. Those outdated gold door fixtures will be much more noticeable if there is nothing else to draw a buyer’s eye.  A few key pieces of furniture and accessories can show how a house can “live” and can help your potential buyer place their own furniture. Especially in a market with a significant amount of competition using the services of a staging company can be worthwhile.

If you are still living in your home staging can be more challenging, but is absolutely critical. The way your home looks when you live in it and the way it should look when you are selling it are completely different. The first step in preparing your home for sale is neutralizing.

When you live in a home, your collectibles, family photos, knick knacks, and memorabilia are all pieces of what makes your house a warm, inviting place for your family and friends. They speak to the things that are important to your family and help define who you are. Those same items, however, cause a distraction to potential buyers because they draw their eye to the things that are not important in their buying decision. If a buyer is looking at your son/daughters latest drawing instead of the amount of cabinet and counter space in your kitchen they will not remember it later. If they notice your love of a particular sport through the memorabilia displayed in your family room they may miss built in bookcases or surround sound speakers. A neutral room shows best. Usually, when you look at your home and think it feels “empty” you have succeeded in the staging process.

The other critical step in staging an occupied home is cleaning. All of us have a tendency to overlook the minor repairs that need to be done in our own home. Scuffs in walls, dirty windows, disorganized closets and dusty baseboards can be low on the to-do list in our busy lives. Now that it is time to sell, though, these “minor” repairs can make a big impact. Remember, buyers only buy what they see. Those little repairs can make a buyer wonder whether other typical maintenance items are being seen to.   

You only have a few minutes to communicate that your home is right for a potential buyer. Make sure the visit to your home is a pleasurable experience that keeps the buyer’s focus on all the positive features.

WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR KIDS AND PETS?
Children of all ages need to be coached on the showing process. Children should know that an advance call from an agent is required for a showing. This is very important if your children will be home alone. Determine a plan for them to follow, depending on their age. For example, they may open the door for the agent and buyer, and then go next door during the showing. Discuss what to do if an unexpected person comes to the door asking to see the home. They must not allow entry to anyone who has not made prior arrangements through you.

How you handle your pets when your home is on the market is a challenge. The friendliest animal can feel threatened if a stranger walks in. Even friendly dogs can cause a significant distraction if they are underfoot. Also, some people are afraid of, or allergic to, animals. When that is the situation your pet becomes more than a distraction and can be the reason someone will eliminate your home from consideration. The very best solution is to remove your pet when a showing occurs. If that is not possible, your pet should be in a controlled area that will not distract, either by their noise or their presence, from the showing.  

If you must have pets at home during showings, communicate this in advance to the showing agent. Leave written notes in the house to indicate there are animals in the home, their names, where they are located and if they must stay in/out. This will prepare both the showing agent and the potential buyer and also will make it much less stressful for your pet.  

IS YOUR HOME SAFE FOR VISITORS?
Consider the safety of your visitors when your home is on the market. Buyers come in all shapes, sizes and abilities and any buyer should be able to move around your home without risk of injury.

Is there a statue or tall lamp that could easily fall if touched? Are there wires at ground level that could trip someone? Are there rugs that tend to slide? Are stair railings safe for small children? Could a visitor be bitten by a bird or other animal? Are the stairs free of small toys? Are traffic patterns open between rooms?

Also consider your own security and privacy. Put away valuable possessions. Do not leave money, guns, jewelry, x rated magazines or any personal items in public view. Do not leave breakable objects where they could be accidentally bumped. Move your medicines to a secure location. Do not leave bleach or poisons in reach of children. Do not leave candles burning when you leave the house.

SHOULD YOU BE PRESENT WHEN YOUR HOME IS SHOWN?
It is never a good idea to be present for a showing. Remember, this is not a social visit and sellers have a tendency to give the buyer more information than they want or need – especially at the first showing. What is important to you about your home may not be important to the buyer. Most buyers will feel that they are intruding on your privacy if you are in the house. They will shorten the time they spend in your home. They will not be able to discuss your home as freely as they might have without you there. Even if you are in another room the buyer cannot feel as if it could be their house. Your presence makes it YOUR house for that buyer. If it is difficult to leave for the entire showing window, take a short walk or a drive when the buyer arrives.

Sometimes sellers try to offer certain information, and they inadvertently turn the buyer off. It is best not to make assumptions about what the buyer wants. Keep in mind that buyers are there to make a big decision. They need some time to experience your home on several levels. If it passes the first test, there will be time to communicate how many water heaters you have and other facts about the house.  

IN CONCLUSION
Presenting your home at its best is critical to getting it sold. Your real estate agent can be the best marketing person in town, but if your home is not “show ready” no amount of marketing will overcome that. Do not underestimate the value of each an every showing. Look at each showing opportunity as “the” buyer for your home and prepare your home as if the new owner is seeing it for the first time. You only have a short time to gain a buyer’s trust and promote interest in your home. Every showing is important; even if the person that views your home is not the right buyer valuable information can be gained by listening to their feedback and adapting your home to what buyers are looking for in the market.  Please use these tools to help guide you in preparation for marketing your home effectively.

Views or opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views and/or policies of RE/MAX at the Lake or its agents.