Learning Center

Showing Your Home

Once you decide to sell your house, and you begin to prepare it for showing it is no longer just your home. It it now a potential buyers home as well. Keep this in mind at all times. The home should be in tip top condition so you can show it at a drop of the hat.

The following are some tips to remember when showing your home to prospective buyers.

1. Make sure the house is clean, free of clutter and organized.
2. The exterior should be tidy and all toys, yard tools and clutter should be put away. Also make sure the lawn is mowed and the gardens are weeded.
3. Secure your valuables before you welcome strangers in to your home.
4. Have visitors sign in so you can follow up with them later.
5. Provide a general tour of the home and then let the buyer look around on their own. You don't want to make them feel uncomfortable by following too closely.
6. If you have a fact sheet of the home, give it the buyer and ask if they have any questions.
7. Have a sales contract and your completed disclosure form ready to give to an interested buyer. You'll want to ask them if they have been pre-qualified for a mortage. If they haven't and if you're working with a lender, you can offer to get them pre-qualified.
8. Always thank buyers for visiting your home.

Remember, stay calm, positive and open to questions. Make your potential buyer feel comfortable and welcome as they view your home. Encourage questions and comments and with a little luck the dialog will result in a solid offer! Don't forget to follow up with visitors within a couple of days. This is a wonderful opportunity to gather feedback on your property and negotiate with potential buyers.

Copyright© 2008 FSBO Publishing Group, Inc., All rights reserved. This material may not be republished without written permission.