Be Prepared:

As in so many things in life, when you’re selling your home being prepared can give you your best chance at success.

Case in Point:

The market for selling homes today is not exactly fast-paced. Your home has to always be ready to show. It may be a complete pain in the butt to keep your home on the edge of being show ready, but as we say in this business: press the hot button when the hot button is hot!

If you get “the call” that a Realtor has a client ready and willing to see, and possibly purchase, your home it’s in your best interest to accommodate them. I can understand that a rescheduling might need to happen if the notice is extremely short, but if you know 24-48 hours in advance that a potential buyer may be walking through your home, there really is no excuse.

Buyers have to see the inside of your home to make an informed decision. You wouldn’t buy your home sight unseen. Why should they?

Don’t let it get a reputation

If a Realtor can’t get their client in once, he or she will move to the next home on the list. You’ll lose your chance to wow that buyer. If this happens too many times, the home will get the reputation of being unshowable. It will take drastic measures to make a sale.

In fact, I bought that very unshowable home. It was a “divorce house” and the constant conflict between the parties became so bad no Realtor could ever schedule a showing.

Eventually they just stopped asking.

We had seen the home before the situation had escalated to that point. We were able to come back and buy at a substantial discount 2 months later. That was in 2006 when houses were selling in hours, not months!

Now imagine what it would take to sell that very same home in today’s subdued market. It’s not a pretty sight.

Always be ready

So, here is my point: Be ready to show, and be ready to sell. All of the advertising in the world won’t do a hill of beans if the buyers can’t get in.

Now let’s sell like the wind! 🙂