SHOWING TIPS FOR THE HOMEOWNER Prepared By Gloria Brda Avoid having too many people present during inspections. The potential buyer may feel like an intruder and hurry through the house. If you must stay home, leave the selling to the agent - although a friendly greeting of the agent and prospect at the door will be appreciated, politely excuse yourself immediately after that. Stay in another part of the house or outside rather than tagging along. Be courteous, but don't force a conversation with a potential buyer. It's not a social call, so there's no need for small talk. The agent will want the buyer's full attention to show off your home's features . If you're asked a question, respond honestly, but diplomatically refer any questions about price, terms or possession to me. To offer the impression of peace and restfulness, keep noise to a minimum. You may, however, want to play some soft music in the background. Unless pets are quiet, peaceful and well-behaved, it's best to keep them out of the house. Not everyone likes having cats and dogs around; some people may be allergic to them. Neatness does count. Make sure the lawn is kept trimmed or the snow shoveled. See that the beds are made and that rooms are neat. Well-organized closets give the impression of spaciousness, and an orderly arrangement of out-of-season sporting goods and clothes suggests ample storage space. When showing the house during the day, create a bright and cheerful atmosphere by letting in as much sunlight as possible - and make sure the windows are clean. At night, turn on all porch and other outside lights, and make sure every room in the house is well lit. If you have a formal dining room, consider showing it with the table set with china, silverware, crystal and fresh flowers. See to it that the temperature is comfortable. If it's hot, turn on the air conditioning so people will know it works. If it's cold crank up the furnace. If you have a fireplace, by all means us it. When it's not in use, make sure its cleaned out and filled with fresh logs. You'll want the air to be fresh and clean, so you might want to avoid cooking such foods as fish and cabbage for a while. Don't, however use overly sweet air fresheners or aerosol disinfectants. Instead, consider baking a spice cake, loaf of bread or some ready-to-cook cinnamon rolls for a delicious and inviting aroma. FIRST IMPRESSIONS CAN TURN A BUYER ON OR OFF, BUT NEVER BOTH! [ Back to Gloria's Library of Helpful Articles ] Gloria Brda, Realtor Associate® RE/MAX CENTER 100 N. Atkinson Road, Suite 106 Grayslake, Illinois 60030 Toll Free: 800.257.REMAX Office: 847.223.7878 x3021 Fax: 847.223.1703 www.gloriabrda.com Real Estate in Northern Illinois ©1999-2007 Gloria Brda