Chapter 8
How Your Home Gets Shown
In This Chapter
◆ How buyers will get inside your home
◆ What to do right before a showing
◆ Emphasizing the features during a showing
◆ The do’s and don’ts of showings
Everything you have done up to this point has been in the pursuit of one goal—to get showings. Your home won’t sell without them. You have prepared your home by staging it and making repairs. You have exposed it to as wide a buyer audience as possible. Now is the moment of truth. If you have done everything well, the buyers will come. They will stand in your home and they will fall in love, or they won’t. However, do not make the mistake of thinking that your job is finished.
Buyers can be very fickle. At the point that your home is shown, buyers have not yet committed to it in any way. In fact, they have virtually nothing invested in you or the property. If there are problems related to showings and the home is not easily accessible, it can frustrate buyers and you can lose them before they even walk through your front door.
It’s very important to understand the process of showings and how to manage and control them to maximize the buyer’s experience. The vibe that you create, and the experience that the buyer has, will have a direct impact on the decision to buy it—or not. This decision if often made in the midst of a showing.
In this chapter, we discuss the different ways that buyers have access to your home and how you can make the most of the showings.
Showing Guidelines
This chapter focuses on the most common methods of showing. The golden rule—above all else—is to make the scheduling of appointments, and access to your home, as easy as possible. This isn’t quite as simple as it sounds, however. If you don’t have clear instructions and guidelines, there will be miscommunication and problems for the buyers. When they confront challenges and obstacles with regard to viewing your home, they can get turned off. Some buyers are more flexible and easygoing than others, but you don’t want to take the chance that any buyer would let the inconvenience deter him from considering your property.
The following are some examples of problems related to showings:
◆ Limited showing hours that prevent buyers from getting in when they need to or when it’s convenient for them.
◆ Difficulty obtaining a key or physical access to the home.
◆ Confusion about whom to call to schedule appointments.
◆ Leaving an unleashed dog in the home during a showing.
◆ Locks that are extremely difficult or impossible to operate.
◆ Inability to see certain locked rooms, storage areas, or garages.
◆ When the seller is home during the showing and/or attempts to conduct the showing.
Scheduling Appointments
The process begins with a telephone call from the buyer’s Realtor requesting an appointment for a showing. It is up to you and your Realtor to decide up front who the contact person will be. You usually have two choices—your listing Realtor or yourself.
When your Realtor fields all the calls, she must then take the step of calling you for every appointment to see if the time slot is convenient for you. The upside of this arrangement is that you only have to speak to one person—your Realtor. The downside is that it creates an extra and unnecessary step, which causes delays for everyone.
If you are the contact person, there is no middle man. Realtors will have access to your name and telephone number and call you directly. It’s faster and more efficient. You are the homeowner and no one knows better than you what the most convenient time is to show the home.
You and your Realtor will establish the hours during which buyers can see your home. We recommend allowing showings seven days a week, including evenings, because the goal is to make your home accessible to all the buyers and their schedules. When a Realtor asks to show your home, say yes, whenever possible. You will benefit from creating easy access. If the time does not work for you, reschedule a better time right there on the phone. Don’t let the Realtor hang up without making the appointment—he may not call back.
In the first few days that your home is on the market, particularly that very first weekend, we encourage you to try to be out of the home entirely for most of the day(s). Showings can be very plentiful, creating a “revolving door” feel at the home. And that’s a good thing! Many of our sellers go out of town for the first weekend. This way they do not have to worry about keeping the home clean and beds made, and being out before the first showing of the day. If this is an option for you, take it. It’s a great excuse to get away for a minibreak—especially after all your hard work and preparation.
How Buyers Get Inside Your Home
There are several different ways that buyers will gain entry to your home, and it varies depending on how real estate is practiced in your area.
After the appointment has been set up, the next matter is how they will get inside. There may be a lockbox installed on your front door, or perhaps the buyer’s Realtor will need to pick up the key from your listing Realtor’s office. In some cases, the listing Realtor shows the property.
Let’s consider each way.
def·i·ni·tion
A lockbox is a small, heavy box with a handle on it that can be attached onto to your front door handle, gate, or railing. The key to your home is locked inside.
Lockboxes
Some lockboxes have a simple combination to open the box and retrieve the key. This type can be purchased in most hardware stores.
Other lockboxes are more sophisticated and used only by licensed Realtors. They have a computer chip inside that is triggered by a small keypad, about the size of a cell phone. Realtors punch their individual code into the keypad. The lockbox then opens and the key to your home pops out. After the Realtor has taken a buyer through the home, the key is returned to the lockbox.
The lockbox opens only for licensed Realtors. The computer chip inside records the serial number of the Realtor who entered and the time of entry. The serial codes are registered with the local real estate board or state real estate commission. If anything is amiss in your home, the Realtor’s name, the date, and time of showing has been recorded and is easily tracked. The lockboxes are also preprogrammed not to open at all before a certain time, perhaps 9 A.M., or after 7 or 8 P.M.
Lockboxes are very convenient for Realtors. They can show your home without your being present, yet they are safe and easy to use.
Picking Up the Key
In some areas, the common practice is to force the buyer’s Realtors to pick up keys at the listing office of every single home that they plan to view that day. This is inconvenient and very time consuming, for both the buyer and the Realtor. However, if it is unavoidable, try to make it a little easier. Help the Realtors by letting them leave the key with you when they are done to save them a return trip, or be there to let them into your home yourself.
Seller Alert
Always have backup keys. Keys can get lost, or broken off in the lock. When so many different people are opening an unfamiliar lock, it can be forced or jammed. This happens typically with finicky or hard-to-open locks. To avoid this, have the lock serviced or use a little WD-40 to loosen it up. Also, place a small piece of masking tape across the additional locks on the outside of the door so that there is no chance of a Realtor forcing the key into the wrong keyhole.
Listing Realtor Hosts and Supervises Showings
Having the listing agent supervise showings for buyers and their Realtors is usually done for luxury properties. To be honest, it is more of a “service” that high-end listing Realtors provide to create an image of exclusivity. It’s slightly silly because it means that there are two Realtors showing the home at once, which is, of course, unnecessary no matter how big or expensive the home is. And again, the buyers feel awkward because they are not free to express themselves or fully explore the home on their own. Additionally, if your listing Realtor is asked to be present for all showings, it will eat up hours and hours of his time, keeping him away from more important work associated with marketing your home.
If You Must Be Home During Showings
When a homeowner is present for a showing, it can make the buyers very uncomfortable. When you are introduced to them, the buyers’ focus immediately shifts away from the home and over to you. Now the buyer is concerned about being polite and making a good impression, should they want to purchase the home.
After the introductions are made, and you remain in the home, the buyers will be aware of your presence throughout the showing. They will be robbed of their freedom to openly discuss the pros and cons of the home with their Realtor and with each other. They will also worry that, if you overhear them, your feelings may be hurt.
A big mistake that some sellers make during a showing is to actually follow the buyer and his Realtor around, pointing out features. We understand that sellers can get caught up in their enthusiasm for the various features of their homes. However, it’s difficult to read whether the buyer appreciates the information that you are sharing or is distracted from exploring the home on his own terms. In the worst case, the buyer feels pressure, even though that is not the message that you meant to send.
If you have no choice but to be home during a showing, let the buyers know that they have free rein in the home and that you will remain in one room and out of their way. If the buyer has a direct question for you, answer it and then excuse yourself. If you are concerned that they will not notice the features that you would like them to, read on. We will cover emphasizing the best features of your home during showings later in this chapter.
Seller Alert
If you have a sick child at home for the day, or you yourself are feeling under the weather, call your listing Realtor and suspend showings for 24 hours. When buyers learn that showings are suspended due to illness, they actually appreciate the warning and would rather view your home under better circumstances.
What to Do Right Before a Showing
When buyers walk into your home, most of their senses will be on alert, particularly sight, sound, and smell. In the last moments just before you leave, and the buyer is about to arrive, there are some easy steps that will help to maximize the showing experience. There are also some things to avoid when a buyer is about to walk through your home.
Things to Do When a Buyer Is on the Way
The following are easy and highly effective last-minute strategies for readying your home just before each showing takes place:
◆ Turn on every light in the home. Don’t forget the recessed lights underneath kitchen cabinets, stovetop hoods, shower stalls, and closets. It’s important to show where you have spent money to highlight all the nooks and crannies as well as having every room lit to present its full potential.
◆ Turn on some relaxing background music. Buyers are under a certain amount of stress when shopping for something as expensive as a home. Background music can be very soothing and add a touch of elegance. You don’t need a hardwired sound system to bring music into the showing experience. A radio works well, and some homeowners even tune their flat-screen TVs to a nice music channel.
◆ Open every curtain and shade. We’ve talked a lot about light flooding into a home and how it brightens and expands the whole structure. Windows also have the benefit of bringing the outdoors inside. The overall feeling of your home will be lighter and happier with the shades up and curtains drawn back.
◆ Display brochures and listing sheets. Choose an impossible-to-miss location within your home to present information about your home and community. The dining room table is a popular spot.
◆ Light a fire in the fireplace. Do this if your fireplace is attractive and in good working order—and if it’s not too hot out! It can instantly draw the focus to one of the best features in your home while creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. Additionally, a popular question that buyers ask is whether a fireplace is wood-burning or gas, so this step will answer it immediately.
◆ Remove pets. Even if your pet is friendly, many people are afraid of dogs. There are also a lot of people who are allergic to or are not fans of cats. If you cannot remove pets, try to put them in a cordoned-off area and leave a note stating that the animal is friendly. Include the pet’s name on the note for a nice touch. Don’t forget to clean pet hair off furniture before showings. It’s unsightly and can contribute to an allergic person’s reaction upon entering your home.
Seller Alert
Be careful when considering certain strategies like having a fire going in the fireplace or placing lit candles for the purpose of creating a cozy atmosphere. They can pose a significant fire hazard even if you’ll only be out of the home for a brief period of time while the showing is taking place.
◆ Address the temperature in your home. Your goal is to create an atmosphere in which the buyer can best experience your home. Like the background music that soothes, it is imperative that the buyers are comfortable as they walk through. This is particularly important for sellers who go away for the weekend, leaving windows closed and the air conditioning off, or the heat turned down too low. A hot, stuffy house is claustrophobic. A cold one makes them long for the moment when they can return to their car.
◆ Empty the garbage receptacle. Just because the garbage can is under the sink and behind a cabinet door does not mean that odors from it cannot be detected. Also, buyers often look under the kitchen sink and in cabinets—particularly in the kitchen. Remove bathroom garbage as well.
◆ Put out a dish of candy or fruit. This is optional but can be quite nice. Leave a little note that says “Help yourself.” Otherwise, most buyers will not presume to eat it.
Trick of the Trade
If you have young children and a house full of toys, keep a couple of empty plastic laundry baskets on hand. When a Realtor doesn’t give you enough time to tidy up, toss the toys into the laundry baskets and put them in the car trunk and go for a drive. You could use this tip for items other than toys, as well.
Things Not to Do When a Buyer Is on the Way
You might be surprised how little things can have a negative impact on the showing of your home. Consider the following when your home is in the showing stage:
◆ Don’t leave appliances such as washer, dryer, or dishwasher on. From the perspective of sound, a running appliance can be very distracting as the buyer views the kitchen or laundry room. Worse, if it’s loud, you’ll only be drawing attention to a noisy or old appliance.
◆ Don’t smoke indoors. If you’re a smoker, remove all ashtrays and dispose of any evidence. Better yet, while your home is on the market, try to smoke only outdoors. The presence of stale cigarette or cigar smoke can be a deal killer as soon as your front door is opened. Many people can detect an odor even if your last smoke was weeks ago. Consult a cleaning service for rugs and upholstered furniture. If that is not an option, get a rug and upholstery deodorizer and use it before you put your home on the market so that the scent of the product isn’t overwhelming, either. Open windows and ventilate as much as possible.
◆ Don’t leave important documents and mail around. You don’t need buyers knowing your personal business. Sometimes a buyer cannot avoid seeing what’s on a piece of paper lying on a desktop or counter. We have seen all sorts of documents left out in plain view—bank statements, lab test results, love letters, wills, and even documents relating to flaws in the home. Protect your privacy and the potential deal you are about to enter into.
◆ Avoid lingering cooking smells or intentional scents. You may love curry, fish, garlic, roasted meats, baked cookies, and breads. However, one man’s cuisine is another man’s nausea. You never know what’s going to turn a buyer off. To be safe, open windows after cooking each meal and air the place out. The same applies for trying to create an appealing smell with scented candles and potpourri. Like perfume, scent is a very personal thing, so the odds that a buyer will not enjoy your chosen scent are high.
◆ Don’t have dirty litter boxes and grimy pet food dishes. This can be very unappetizing to look at, not to mention the odor. When you live with it every day, it’s not very noticeable. However, it will be to a buyer or anyone else entering your home for the first time.
◆ Put away small valuable items. Theft is the rare exception and not the rule during private showings, but don’t tempt fate by leaving small valuable items such as jewelry around that can easily be picked up.
◆ Don’t leave beds unmade. What you’re aiming for—all over your home—is a message of pride of ownership. An unmade bed is more than just sloppy. It sends the wrong message—one of apathy and of a home that is possibly in disrepair or been neglected. And it completely undoes whatever staging you’ve done in the bedroom because the rumpled covers are all the buyer will really see.
◆ Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. Buyers will look at the dishes and not the sink. It’s unattractive and may have an odor. Don’t forget to churn the food inside the garbage disposal as well.
Seller Alert
One of the big things that sellers forget is the lawn. If you are going to be away for a week or more while your home is on the market, don’t forget to have someone mow and water it in your absence.
How to Control Showings Without Being There
Some Realtors are very proactive and detailed when showing a home to a buyer. They choose the order in which rooms will be shown, control the pace at which they move through the home, and decide which features will be discussed in detail. But other Realtors can be quite passive—hanging back and letting the buyers explore the home on their own. Neither way is wrong; it depends on the buyer’s needs and the Realtor’s style.
Either way, there are many things about your home—big and small—that you don’t want a buyer to miss. As we’ve said, it’s a bad idea to be home during a showing in order to point them out. And yet, you cannot rely on the Realtors to do it for you. So how can you—the seller—control and direct the showing when you are not there?
One way, which we discussed in Chapter 7, is to provide highlight and feature sheets somewhere in the home for buyers to pick up and take away. This is very effective. But there is much more that you can do to have some control over the showing experience and to ensure that the buyer doesn’t miss something important.
Let’s look at some tips for controlling showings.
Demonstrate the Potential of Your Home Through Blueprints
Some sellers display architect’s blueprints (which they have paid for) for additions or renovations that they never got around to making. This is a brilliant thing to do. We have seen many buyers purchase a home that they otherwise would not have—had they not seen the home’s potential through the blueprints.
Reveal Hidden Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors covered with wall-to-wall carpeting are another big feature that could easily be missed during a showing. Sure, you could rely on the Realtor to communicate it to the buyer—or you could leave a note somewhere in the home stating that there are hardwood floors underneath.
We advise our sellers to find an inconspicuous location where a portion of the carpeting can be pulled back by the buyers for a peek at the wood beneath. Buyers are encouraged to do so with a simple sign or note. The buyers can be also be directed to closets where, very often, wall-to-wall carpeting does not extend.
Direct the Eye Toward Hidden Appliances and Fixtures
You’d be surprised to know how often wonderful appliances and fixtures get skipped over in a showing. It’s not that it was done on purpose, but rather that the Realtor didn’t know it was there and the buyer may have been too timid to open drawers and doors herself. Sometimes, even a powder room can be missed! Among the most common oversights are freezer drawers, warming ovens, convection ovens, trash compactors, sump pumps, interior cabinet shelving that is on casters, lazy Susans, recessed cabinet lighting, recessed spice racks, luxury showerheads and steam features, windows that tilt in for cleaning, cedar-lined closets, hidden storage areas, and much more. Put a note directly on or near the appliance or fixture so that it cannot possibly be missed by the casual observer.
Point Out Captive Attics
Because a captive attic is usually accessible only through a bedroom, it can easily be missed in a showing. Its door is usually mistaken for a closet.
def·i·ni·tion
A captive attic is an attic that is not accessible from the second floor hallway or landing. It is only accessible through a bedroom or large walk-in closet.
Your goal is to point it out as well as its valuable features. To lead the buyer, post a visually appealing note that says “Attic accessible through this room.” If it is an unfinished attic but has been Sheetrocked or has rough plumbing for a bathroom, emphasize that in the note, too. Finishing an attic is very expensive so you should spell out for the buyer—with a note—how much you have already accomplished.
Show Off Your Pool, Garden, and Landscaping with Photos
If you’re selling your home in the winter or when the foliage is gone, brag to the buyers about your beautiful plantings by displaying seasonal photographs of them in full bloom. Write captions so they can visualize where the plants exist on the property. If you have a swimming pool, show it in its summer splendor complete with lawn chairs, cushions, and umbrellas.
Point Out Neighborhood Amenities
If there is a great playground, tennis court, swimming pool, or sports field, alert the buyers with a note describing it—especially if it is very close by. If it is really close, it may help the buyer overlook a small yard.
Multiple Showings at the Same Time
Sellers sometimes express concern about the issue of multiple showings in their home that are happening at the same time. They often worry that the buyers will be put off if they don’t have the home completely to themselves. Obviously, the ideal situation is for a buyer to have the property to himself while walking through it. But it’s not always possible—particularly on the first weekend that your home has been on the market. There may be great excitement about it and there are only two days in a weekend. If 15 sets of buyers all wish to see it on Saturday afternoon, the chances are that they will cross paths.
Conducting Multiple Showings
Realtors know how to show a home when another set of buyers is on the premises. It’s not that difficult. If another buyer is in one section of the home, the Realtor simply leads her own buyers to another section of the home. If one of these buyers is truly interested, he will often come back for a second and third showing anyway.
Go ahead and allow more than one buyer to tour your home at the same time. When a buyer has a window in which to see your home and she is denied access because another buyer has already booked the time slot, then she may never reschedule. The risk to you is of losing a potential buyer. That is a risk you cannot afford. You will be taking on the stress and confusion of trying to keep all showings separate and private and, in the process, get hurt by limiting the number of buyers coming through.
Multiple Showings as a Positive
We believe that multiple showings at the same time help to heighten the energy and excitement around your home. When buyers see one another viewing the same home, they can’t help but feel competitive. Competition is always good for you. Whether they’d admit it or not, buyers need validation from other buyers that their choice is a good one. Having several of them in your home at once gives them that validation, and a sense of urgency.
Rallying the Neighbors
It’s helpful to involve your neighbors when your home is on the market and being shown. Buyers will often engage neighbors in conversation about a variety of topics, including the safety of the street, the school system, and even their opinion of your home. Most neighbors will cooperate as they have a vested interest in your home selling well. Speak to them before you put your home on the market. It’s also nice to have another set (or several sets) of eyes on your property when so many people are coming and going. It adds an extra element of security. Give them your cellphone number so that you can be reached in a hurry if there is a need.
Tracking Showings
Keeping track of the Realtors who have shown your home is a smart thing to do. If your home is not selling, your Realtor may want to contact each Realtor who has shown it in order to get feedback on what their clients thought. This can be valuable information for repositioning (price-wise) and/or correcting any problem areas in your home.
If Realtors will be scheduling showings directly through you, keep a list of their names and agencies on a pad near the phone so that you can give it to your listing Realtor. Realtors usually leave a business card behind after a showing, but sometimes they forget. This is why you should keep your own record.
The Least You Need to Know
◆ A lockbox with a key inside provides an easy and safe way for Realtors to show your home.
◆ Before a showing, turn on every light, open drapes, turn on some relaxing background music, adjust temperature, empty trash receptacles, and remove pets.
◆ Beware of odors from recent meals, put away important documents and small valuables, and do not leave appliances like a washer, dryer, or dishwasher on.
◆ Never stick around when your home is being shown unless it’s absolutely unavoidable.
◆ Having more than one buyer viewing your home at the same time is not just okay; it can be a positive.
◆ Tracking showings and getting feedback can help pinpoint why your home is not selling.
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