Tips For Showing Your House for Sale

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Jane Pinzhoffer

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Tips For Showing Your House for Sale

When your house is on the market, you’ve got to be ready for showings at the drop of a hat. Flexibility is key because showtime is all the time.

Since most people work 9 to 5, many showings will occur during evenings and weekends. Yes, this will likely damper your life, but remember, it’s only temporary. Putting time limitations on when people can come to your home, such as only between 2 and 4 pm and never on weekends, means limiting the potential pool of buyers.

Real Life Real Estate Example
Adrian had clients who insisted on not having showings after 8:00 PM. After further discussion they agreed to accommodate appointments at all hours, and they ended up selling in multiple offers, with the top offer being $20,000 above the next closest, and they visited at 8:30 PM on a Friday –who knows if they ever would have had the opportunity to visit if that request was declined.

But being flexible with your schedule is only part of it. Your house needs to be looking shipshape all the time. If your realtor calls to say they’re bringing buyers over in an hour, your house needs to be ready –don’t worry; most showings provide much more notice.

Hopefully, before you listed your home, you gave it a deep clean or your real estate agent had a professional cleaning company tackle the task for you. You must keep your home clean and decluttered throughout the selling process. Most people would be surprised to hear stories about how the strangest things, including dirty houses easily turn buyers off.

Here’s a checklist of things to do before a showing:

  • Make the beds
  • Put the dishes away
  • Sweep and mop the floors
  • Vacuum the carpets
  • Put laundry away
  • Put away toys, including pet toys and food bowls
  • Take out the trash and recycling
  • Wipe surfaces
  • Keep the toilet lid down
  • Turn on the lights (all of the lights!)
  • Play soft music

Most buyers will drive by your home before they schedule a showing. If your yard is poorly maintained or there’s lots of junk on the front porch, they may cross your house off their list before visiting.

To make sure the outside of your home is enticing, not deterring potential buyers, stay on top of these seasonal tasks:

  • Keep the lawn mowed
  • Weed flowerbeds and landscaped areas
  • Trim hedges and bushes
  • Rake up leaves
  • Keep driveways and walkways shovelled

Get out of the house

Finally, when it’s time for a showing, it’s time to make yourself scarce. That means planning to get yourself and your family out of the house. Homeowners make buyers uncomfortable. They tend to rush through the house and then forget about it. You want people to have as positive an experience as possible. That means giving them space and time to see the house.

Having prospective buyers tour your home is critical to the selling process. Always be prepared for that next showing. It only takes one person, and you never know who that will be. Ensure you and your house are ready at a moment’s notice.

For more information about selling your home, call KT Realty at 1 (800) 617-0090.

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Open House Terms & Privacy Agreement

for KT Open Houses

  1.  

1. Visitor Etiquette: All visitors are required to maintain a respectful and safe environment in our client’s property by adhering to the following etiquette guidelines unless otherwise directed by a representative of The KT Team:

  • Footwear: Please remove footwear upon entry to help preserve the property’s cleanliness.
  • Washroom Facilities: Visitors are kindly asked to refrain from using washroom facilities.
  • Personal Belongings and Furniture: For privacy and safety, please avoid touching personal belongings or opening furniture not part of the sale. Examples include dressers, media consoles, and most free-standing furniture.
  • Food and Beverages: Outside food and beverages are prohibited while touring the property.
  • Furniture: To respect our client’s space, please avoid sitting or lying on any furniture.
  • Pets: Pets are not allowed within the property.
  • Children: Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring children follow these guidelines.

2. Visitor Tracking and Safety: To ensure the safety of our clients’ property and personal belongings and the security of our real estate agents, all visitors are required to provide accurate and complete contact information. This information is used to track attendees and ensure accountability.

3. Digital Communications and Follow-Up: By providing your contact information, you consent to receive digital communications from our real estate team, including information about this property, future open houses, and other relevant real estate opportunities. These communications may include marketing or promotional messages, and we aim to keep them relevant to your interests.

4. Opting Out: You may opt out of receiving digital communications at any time by contacting us directly at the contact points below or following the unsubscribe link provided in messages. Opting out will remove you from future marketing communications, although we may retain your contact information for internal records related to visitor tracking.

KT Realty
229 – 336 Bronte Street South
Milton ON L9T 7W6
[email protected]
1 (800) 617-0090

4. Prospecting and Sales Activity: Our real estate team may use your information for prospecting and follow-up purposes. We ensure these communications are conducted respectfully and aim to provide opportunities aligned with your interests.

5. Privacy and Data Protection: We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. Your details will not be shared with third parties, except as required by law or for purposes directly related to the safety of open house events.

6. Acknowledgment: By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these terms and conditions. You agree to adhere to any additional requests or instructions the real estate agents provide to maintain a safe and secure environment during your visit.