MONDAY MOMENTS WITH MICHELLE – Let’s Show Off Your Home

Welcome to Episode 9!

 

Now that the paperwork and the photographs are done, your listing is what we call LIVE. You multiple listing is now active and being viewed by thousands of consumers and Realtors® across the internet. Depending on how aggressive the market is, your agent may get a call requesting a viewing within minutes of being published! He or she will contact you to ask if the time requested will work for you. What is the next step?

 

Your agent will have discussed lockboxes with you, what they are, how they work and the benefit of having a lockbox available for showings. This would have been at the time of signing the paperwork. The viewing agent will use the lockbox to enter your home with their buyers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make sure your home is showing ready. Clean and tidy up. Remove any clutter. Make sure the heat or air conditioning is on. Close the toilet lids. Turn on the lights. Lock up and leave. If you have a pet that you don’t want escaping, either use a crate or take the pet with you.

 

It is recommended that you, the seller, not be present during showings. When you are home, it makes the buyer feel that they are intruding on your space and time and they tend to hurry through the home. They also don’t feel comfortable commenting on features they like or dislike. You want the buyer to spend time in your home, get a feel for it and imagine what it would be like if it was theirs. Realtors typically block out 30 minutes for a viewing. It may take less time or it may take more depending on the size of the house and the interest of the buyer.

 

For the first week, there could be many showing requests daily or weekly. It can be really stressful! Just remember, you are trying to sell your home and a little discomfort towards the end goal is inevitable, but temporary. Another idea you may want to consider is having your agent, or one of his colleagues hold and OPEN HOUSE on the weekend. This way, more people can get through your home in a 2 or 3 hour time frame. Discuss this option with your agent.

 

 

 

 

 

Communication is key in any client/realtor relationship. How do you want your agent to communicate with you? Text? Call? Email? How often do you want to communicate? After each showing? Daily? Weekly? Set out these expectations at the beginning of the relationship so that there are no grey areas and no dead air. Radio silence can be frustrating and cause serious miscommunication assumptions.

 

What happens when a buyer wants to make an offer? Let’s talk about this next Monday when I will go through the OFFER process; another stressful but exciting part of the listing process.

 

Feel free to reach out to me regarding this content or to suggest subjects you would like to learn about.

 

Oh, by the way! I am NEVER too busy for your Referrals, either! Tell your friends!

 

Have a great week! Definitely call me if you want exceptional real estate service!