First Impressions Matter Home Showing

by Vittoria Logli

Now that you’ve decluttered, organized, and deep cleaned and your home is listed in the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service), and the first showing time been scheduled. Now what?

As a motivated seller, you want to do everything you can to ensure your home makes a great impression, entices buyers, sells quickly and is shown in its best light. Being prepared & knowing what to expect for the showings is more important than ever with buyers having more choices you want your home to stand out.

To make sure your home stays in showing condition you may want to consider hiring a weekly cleaning service & landscapers – it’s a small investment but well worth it.

Buyers love light, so open all your curtains, blinds, and flip on all the lights to make sure they can see just how bright your space can be.

Make the Beds: The bedrooms can make or break a home sale, so you want them to look amazing. Think about entering a beautiful hotel room. You want your space to reflect that ambiance - cool, clean, and relaxing.

When you know you have scheduled showings - Be smart about what you cook the night before or the morning of a showing lingering smells might turn off others. I like and recommend Fresh Wave Odor Removing Gel. I don’t recommend using those strong air fresheners either. Buyers may think you are trying to mask something if you have those Glade fresheners all over the house. The Fresh Wave gel absorbs odors without adding any strong smells to the air and it’s made with botanical plant oils. As a mother with 4 kids, 2 smelly dogs & a turtle I use it all over my house - in my mudroom, kids closets & laundry room – everywhere!

Any extra boxes of clutter should be neatly stored in the garage or designated space in the basement. As much as possible, Kids toys should be stowed to one designated area like a spot in the basement, playroom or in kids’ bedrooms.

Showings are typically scheduled through an app called ShowingTime. You’ll get a text notification when there is a showing request it’s your job to confirm or decline the showing right from your phone. Keep in mind that Both buyer’s agent and seller’s agent get the same text alert. That means everyone, all family members and pets, need to clear out during the showing time.

Buyers’ agents will usually access your home through an electronic Sentrilock lockbox and a typical showing only lasts approx. 15-20 minutes unless you have a very large home. And if they are in and out quickly, that doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t love your home. Many buyers spend a lot of time studying the photos, floor plans and video before they even step foot inside your home. Here’s a bonus tip - buyers love it when sellers leave mini water bottle, granola bars or a bowl of candy on the kitchen island. With more homes to see buyers maybe house hunting for hours and they really appreciate a little snack that will make a lasting impression and help them remember your home over all the others.

We understand that life happens and not all of us are Mr. Clean. But try to keep your home as show ready as possible so you’re always prepared for any showings. After all, the more showings your home receives, the more likely it will get sold! I hope these tips will make you feel a little more comfortable and less overwhelmed throughout this process. We're here to help make your home sale as stress-free and successful as possible.