Get ready...

It's time to get your property in "showing" and "selling" condition. Most of us don't keep our homes in the condition it needs to be in to sell. Over the years we become accustomed to our surroundings. What's normal for us may be unacceptable to a buyer. The few boxes we had stacked in a corner of the closet have multiplied, things have broken we just never got around to fixing, and some things have just plain worn out.

To help in this process it is important to utilize the Free Home Staging conultation I provide. A Certified Home Stager has the guidelines, skills, talent, and knowledge to be able to serve you creatively in the best way possible and at the most reasonable cost. ASPs™ follow a professional code of ethics and have set policies, as standards of excellence to follow, as they serve their clients.

When you get ready to place your home on the market for sale it becomes a product. Similar to a product on the shelf at your local store, the product has features and benefits as well as pluses and minuses, and competition. To compete with the competition in the marketplace you must be priced right and look better than the other products. Your home is no different, it is one of many homes for sale and you must present it, to the buyers, in the best possible light.

Remember, first impressions are very important and you only get to make one. It has been my experience that we should not start showing your home until it has been stagged.

Help! A showing has been scheduled...

When showing your home it is important to make the buyers feel at home. They should not only feel that that they are guests; they should also be able to see themselves living in the home. Your goal is to make people feel at home. Here are some helpful tips for showing your home:

• Pick up unnecessary items form counters, floors and stairs.
• Turn on all lights, even those in closets and stage rooms
• Open all drapes, shades and blinds (Unless view is offensive)
• Be sure all beds are made neatly and attractively
• Be sure all kitchen appliances and countertops are "sparkling" clean
• Keep pets out of sight
• Keep children out of rooms being shown and don't let them follow buyers around
• Eliminate distracting sounds (Turn on soft, pleasant background music in all rooms with radios)
• Keep air fresheners in closets, bathrooms and kitchen. Be especially careful to keep kitchen odors fresh and inviting
• Place fresh attractive towels in kitchen and baths
• Place fresh attractive towels in kitchen and baths (It's the first and last impression - make it a good one!)
• Keep a well manicured lawn and neatly trimmed shrubs

I also advise and highly recommended that you not be present when your home is being shown. Many sellers think agents and buyers won't be able to find everything, and they must be there to point out important features. It's been my experience that at the very least, buyers feel uncomfortable when sellers are present, and that it can actually kill a sale. A few examples are:

• Buyers often won't even open closet or cabinet door when the seller is present because 'It's not polite.' If they cannot view the house comfortably, they'll hurry up and move on to the next one.
• Sellers want to talk, and not just about the house. You never know when a buyer will be turned off by the mood of the seller, or by a statement the seller makes. Buyers are there to look at the house, not chitchat about hobbies or the weather.

If you must be home during a showing, go outside or stay put in one location, don't wander around with the agent and buyers. Most of all, remember to prepare well for showings! Homes sell more quickly and for higher prices when they show their best!

Who is present for a showing? In most instances, I or someone from my team, will be there to show your property to buyers and their agent. However, there are times when we may not be available. That is why I recommend using a lockbox. A lock box is a heavy-duty device that holds the keys to your property. It is usually attached to your front door knob. It is accessed by a push-button combination that can only be obtained through me or it can be accessed by an electronic keypad that is regulated by the Citrus County Association of Realtors. You can expect at least 16% more showings using a lockbox. Buyer's agents love to show property they can easily access; 80% of buyer's agents unable to show a property the first time will not make a second attempt. Accessibility is a top priority...if we can't show your home, we can't sell it.