Re-printed from Ontario Industrial Magazine
When listing your home for Sale there are various simple steps which will maximize both the quantity and quality of viewings by prospective buyers.
1/ Make it easy! The buyer wants to see at a time convenient to his schedule, not yours. If he were buying anything else for several hundred thousand dollars the seller would accommodate him, so accept appointments at any reasonable hour. Agree with your Listing Agent right from the outset a reasonable amount of prior notice. It is much better to have the house shown when it is less than perfectly clean and tidy than to not have it shown at all. Most buyers who can’t get the appointment time that is convenient for them will simply look at other homes instead. Make it easy to show the property when you’re out by having your Agent install a coded lock-box. However, if the code is “S.P.I” get a new Agent as this is the factory pre-set code and is known to every burglar and every kid with a keyed locker. Ensure that the lock-box combination is changed every week.
2/ Let the buyer visualize. Before buying a home the prospect has to imagine himself living there. As nice as you might be, if he owned the home you would not be there so don’t ! Prospects spend longer at a viewing and form more favorable impressions at showings where the seller is absent. If you must be at home, just stay in the background and let the Buyer’s Agent show the property
3/ First impressions are important. Remember that when a prospect comes to look at your home one of the first things seen is the front door. Be sure it is fresh and clean with lawn and landscaping well manicured and your yard free of refuse and leaves
4/ What you show is what you get. Faded walls and woodwork will reduce the appeal. Why make a prospect guess how your home could look when a small amount of redecorating will show it ? A quicker sale at a fair price will result.
5/ Let the sun shine in. Open drapes and curtains all the way so that visitors find the property bright and spacious.
6/ Get Rid of Clutter. On some level everyone wants the ‘most house for the money’. The comment least likely to precede an Offer is “cozy” while one of the most favorable comments after a showing is “spacious”. Everything possible must be done to enhance the perception of space. Most important is a very thorough removal of clutter both through disposal and by neatly boxing up seasonal and seldom used items and storing them off site or in the Basement or Garage
7/ Big Closets. Make them look bigger by removing and storing excess and by having them neat and well organized
8/ Fix that leaky faucet. Dripping water discolors sinks and suggests not only faulty plumbing but also a general lack of attention to maintenance. A prospect who has heard a leaking tap or squeaky fan is pre-disposed to seek or assume fault in other items.
9/ Little things mean a lot. Take a couple of hours to fix minor flaws like doors or windows that stick or cabinets with loose handles
10/ Safety first and always. Keep stairways and corridors clear and clean since this will avoid injuries. Remove ice and snow from walkways and steps
11/ Bathrooms sell homes. Make these rooms sparkle. Check and repair any damaged or discolored caulking; be sure that towels and area rugs are bright; de-clutter like everywhere else and use good quality air fresheners throughout the home.
12/ Shine on! Your home’s illumination can be a ‘welcome’ sign to the buyer. Make sure all bulbs are working and are the best type to show each area to the best effect. When showing the home at night turn on all outside and inside lights
13/ Music soothes the savage beast but not always the home buyer. Turn off the blaring television or radio. When absent you may want to leave a radio at low volume playing classical or jazz.
14/ Curb your dog. Keep all pets completely out of the way during showings. Because your Agent likes him it doesn’t mean the prospects will feel comfortable.
15/ Silence is golden. If you’re home for a showing be courteous but don’t try to force the conversation. Just stay in the background so the buyer can visualize himself at home.
16/ Be it ever so humble there’s no place like home so NEVER apologize for its appearance. You may be distracting the prospect from positive thoughts about the location and proximity to work or family. Don’t be defensive if any derogatory comments or objections are offered….often its just the way that some people think negotiations should operate. If they buy your home, what’s the difference ? And if they don’t, do their opinions really matter? Just smile and take the view that if it’s not the right home for them it will be for someone else.
17/ don’t put the cart before the horse. Trying to sell furniture or garden equipment before the House Offer is firm can often lose the sale so let things happen in their proper order.
18/ Keep papers and valuables in a safe, secure place. During the listing period you may prefer to keep small valuables off site in a safety deposit. If you’ve already bought your next home then, unless you want to show all your cards, don’t leave the relevant paperwork out in the open and don’t mark your moving date on the fridge calendar!
Paul Graham is the owner and Broker of Record for BUYERS REALTY INC. Please direct your questions to paul@buyerscall.com or to his direct line, 905-607-4400
