Tulsa Home Sellers – Tips for Showing your Tulsa Home for Sale
It’s not every day that you put your home on the market, so here are some tips for showing your Tulsa home for sale.
Recently I posted tips for preparing for your photo shoot¸ and this checklist can also be used to prepare your home before a Realtor brings a Buyer to view your home. Most tips are common sense – make the beds, wash dishes and clear clutter, but many are not so obvious.
Your home will show better with sunlight pouring in, for example, so if you’re able, open blinds and drapes ahead of time. Sweep off the sidewalk and entry so that Buyers will get a good first impression. A clean home always shows better!
Plan to leave your home ten to fifteen minutes before the Realtor is scheduled to arrive. Go for a cup of coffee, run errands, walk the dog or visit a neighbor. Realtors and prospective Buyers will linger in your home longer if you are not there because they want to view at their own pace and be able to speak freely about what they like and don’t like.
When a home Seller is present during showings, it’s awkward for the Buyers and they’re likely to keep their visit brief. The longer a prospective Buyer stays in your home, the more they are able to imagine LIVING there.
Realtors will not always be able to give you an exact arrival time and may show up early or late. When scheduling multiple properties to show, they must estimate driving time between properties and how much time they will spend at each property, so please be flexible.
IF a Realtor shows up early, excuse yourself and exit through the garage door if possible. Please make them use the SUPRA keybox provided to obtain your front door key to access your home. The SUPRA keybox enables us to track all showings and solicit feedback, so please don’t just let them in the front door as you’re on your way out.
And although we may have requested a two-hour notice to show your property, please accommodate a showing with little notice if possible. I would rather your home be shown with dirty dishes in the sink than to have it skipped over because the Realtor was unable to give proper notice!
Remember to leave a garage door opener out if needed to access a detached garage and leave keys needed to open a workshop or shed, if they’re not included in your keybox.
Many home Sellers ask about leaving out cookies or bottled water, and both are fine. I think wrapped hard candy is probably preferable to homemade cookies and may be welcoming if your buyers have been shopping for several hours.
So, leave your home as welcome and inviting as possible and then give the Realtor and Buyers needed privacy. Follow these guidelines, and let’s try to sell your home together!
