Preparing Your FishHawk Ranch Home For Property Showings

Posted September 4, 2018

In Real Estate Tips and Advice — Sellers

Preparing Your FishHawk Ranch Home For Property Showings

We are currently in a seller’s market but having your home ready to show is still an essential part of the home sales process. When purchasing a car the test drive can make or break a sale. Showing your home is real estate’s version of a test drive. Below are some tips for preparing your FishHawk Ranch home for property showings.

The Showing Appointment

If you are living in the home a scheduled appointment will be made to view the home. Try to leave the home about 10 prior to the scheduled appointment and return to the home about 10 minutes after the scheduled appointment time. If for some reason you are still home when the buyers arrive, graciously greet the potential home buyers and invite them in to look around. At your earliest opportunity excuse yourself and leave the home. It is important that the potential buyers get a chance to visualize the home as their home, not your home. It will also give them a chance to discuss the home with their agent.

Be Time Flexible

From the perspective of a buyer agent, trying to schedule multiple showing appointments in a day is not always the easiest task. A quick example is a buyer may want to see 5 homes on a Saturday morning. When I schedule showings for my buyers, the first thing I do is review the homes and the showing instructions. From there I map the homes and determine a good route to show the homes. I will then start to schedule the appointments allowing about 30 minutes per home for the showing plus travel time. If the seller on house number 4 does not allow the showing or needs a special time all 5 showings could get messed up. I can tell you from experience that instead of rescheduling 4 other appointments it is more likely that house number 4 will not be shown. When your home is listed for sale, try to be as flexible as possible. Many home buyers are on a tight schedule. Whether it be work, school, childcare, or other commitments, time is always tough to come by. If you are still living at the home it is really important to try and keep the home “show ready” as much as possible to accommodate the last-minute showing requests. Remember that a lot of showings are going to take place after normal business hours and on weekends. The more flexible you are when allowing showings the better the chance of getting your home sold.

The Perfect Temperature

I know, we live in Florida and the summers can be hot. Does that mean when buyers come to the house to view the home we want to freeze them and show them just how good the air conditioner works? No, probably not. Keep the air conditioner to a comfortable setting for the season we are in. If a potential buyer is hot or cold they may be focused on that and not your home. The last thing you want is a potential buyer that is in a hurry to leave the house just to get comfortable.

Mr. & Mrs. Clean

I know that if you live in the home it’s going to be just that, lived in. If you know a buyer a scheduled an appointment and if you have the time, try and do a quick vacuum and clean up any items lying around the house. A clean and uncluttered home appears and feels larger to a potential buyer. A few minutes of a quick touch-up cleaning can go a long way.

Pets

If you have pets, please have a plan for them. You can take them with you, place them in a kennel, exercise pen, or carrier. Personally, I would just try to have them out of the house. It is less stressful for your pet and will allow the buyers to be able to tour the home without being distracted. Please remember to clean up and store any of the pet’s toys, bowls, beds, etc.

Keep It Bright

Your home should appear open and bright, even on a dark cloudy day. Please open the curtains and turn on the lights throughout the home. In most cases, buyers like bright, well-lit spaces. If the showing is going to be at dusk or starting to get dark remember to turn the front porch and backyard lights on. If you have a room that is usually dark you may want to add a temporary lamp to the room.

It’s a Learning Experience

Buyers are learning about each house as they enter it. The more information readily available the more comfortable a buyer will feel about the home. If you have a floor plan of the home, recent appraisal, inspection, or even maintenance quotes, leave copies on the kitchen counter for buyers to see. Remember that purchasing a home will most likely be the largest single purchase the potential buyer will make in their lifetime. The more information they have, the more comfortable they will feel. Ultimately it will help the buyers make a more informed decision.

Preplan With Your REALTOR®

Ensure you review all aspects of your home with your REALTOR® before it is listed. If there are certain items that you feel would be important for a buyer to know, have your REALTOR® highlight those for you. You and I know that FishHawk Ranch has great schools and incredible amenities but will a buyer from Michigan? It never hurts to point out those items. If there are items in the home that are not completely visible like the imported ceiling tiles these should be highlighted to potential buyers.

First Impression

We all have heard the expression you never get a second chance at a first impression. The expression really holds true when you are selling your FishHawk Ranch home. Making your home as appealing from the outside is just as important as the inside. When a potential buyer drives up to your home you want them to want to see the inside. The worst thing that can happen is the potential buyer starts to question if they really want to go inside the house. You should ensure the lawn if freshly cut, edged and the flower beds are weeded and looking good. The outside should be free of clutter and if needed a little paint could make a big difference.

Listen To Feedback

Your REALTOR® will most likely be getting feedback from buyer’s agents and potential buyers. You should evaluate what is being said. If it is a trend, it may be something that needs to be addressed.

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About the author

Jeff is a top-selling, nationally recognized REALTOR® and local FishHawk Ranch real estate expert. You will find him selling homes in Tampa Bay, Florida, and surrounding areas. Some of those areas include FishHawk, Lithia, Riverview, Valrico, Apollo Beach, Brandon, and Tampa.

If you are looking to sell or buy a home anywhere in the Tampa Bay area, Jeff is your local and trusted professional.