- Are you staged and ready?
Sellers often ask if it would be best to show their home
furnished or vacant. Of course this depends on how the home is
furnished. If your home is dirty, messy, and poorly decorated, you need
to stop and assess the situation. It may be possible to move out, and then
stage the home with a few pieces of furniture and accessories. There are
staging services that can help with this. Generally, some furniture will
help to soften the interior and show it in an optimum way. However, I
prefer a vacant house over a disaster.
It is important to keep the buyer’s focus on the property,
and not on your family. Remove most of your personal collections, family
photos, political statements or artistic expressions of yourself. These
distract from the important mission that brought the buyer into your home.
The buyer must establish a sense of trust of your
home. Messiness and confusion sends a deeper message that the home is not
well cared for. It speaks volumes about how maintenance has been
handled. You only have a few minutes to communicate that your home is the
right one. Make sure the visit to your home is a pleasurable experience
that keeps the buyer’s focus where it needs to be.
- What would your buyer like to know?
If you were buying this home what would you want to
know? Are there parks nearby that you could photograph? Does the
school bus stop nearby? Anticipate your buyer’s questions and answer
them. New homeowners are choosing a home, a community, and a lifestyle
that your home offers.
Some
ideas: Survey; floor plan; local parks; shopping; school data; or
neighborhood newsletter.
- 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. Figure out 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.
If you have pet, consider a couple of points. One,
pets may be fearful of strangers entering the house. Two, some people are
afraid of, or allergic to, animals, and are not happy to encounter them.
There will be a variety of people entering your home, including children.
If you are unsure of how your pets will react to strangers, be sure to take
them out during showings.
I recall a client who panicked at the sight of a small
puppy in a home. I found that hard to understand until I realized that I
reacted the same way to a ferret that was loose in a house that I was
showing. I was ready to jump on the table.
If
you have pets at home during showings, communicate this to the agent.
Leave written notes in the house on where your pet is located and other special
instructions. (Dog in laundry room; Cat must stay indoors)
Terez B. Harris
Keller Williams Realty New Orleans
504 975 1033
TerezHarris@KW.com
TerezSellsNolaHomes.com
8601 Leake Ave., New Orleans, La 70118
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Terez B. Harris Terez Harris NOLA Real Estate Group 504-297-2619 www.TerezHarris.com
Keller Williams Realty New Orleans 8601 Leake Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-0100
Each office independently owned and operated. All brokers and agents licensed in the state of Louisiana.Keller Williams Realty New Orleans 8601 Leake Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-0100
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