Having shown about 24 properties over the warm and humid weekend... I have a few suggestions for sellers and their agents. I
showed a combination of single family houses, foreclosure properties and condos over the weekend, in varied and different condition as well as various locations throughout the area.
Here are a few helpful hints:
* Listing agents: Please make certain to notify your clients that we are coming. There's nothing more fun, than standing outside the door, while the owner attempts, to no avail, to straighten up.
* When I request a showing for between 12:00-12:30, make sure the seller understands that I might "arrive" at 12:30... instead of presuming that I'm going to arrive by 12:00, and be gone by 12:30.
* If you have an empty property, please check in on it occasionally. Large stacks of mail, fallen through the mail slot, tend to block the doorway, and tells us that you have not had any showings for a long while.
* If you have a "distressed" property, please let us know, when we make the appointment that there is standing water in the basement about 4 feet up the wall, and an additional 4 feet of "mold" above it. My clients may be strongly allergic to mold (and I'm sure it didn't do me any good either).
* If you have a "distressed" property, please warn me that a doberman lives in the basement, and that he's left little "landmines" every 3 feet. Nothing can kill a property faster, than Mrs. Looker, holding her hand over her nose, and crying "Ewwww... .what's that smell??""
* If the weather is a bit warm and humid, please turn on the air conditioner if you have one (Especially for those damn 3rd floor walk-ups! I'm not a spring chicken anymore people!). Nobody is comfortable viewing homes, when there are beads of sweat dangling from their collective noses. If you cannot have the air on (why not), please make sure you have a roll of paper towels prominently displayed. Don't make me search through your pantry... and I really don't want to use your lovely guest towels... but I also don't want to "drip" all the way through your home.
* Please make sure I have the correct lock box code.... please make sure the keys IN the lockbox are the correct keys, and open all the doors... and please make sure that the lock box is THERE! (Can you believe I ran into two recent situations where there was no lockbox at all, after being promised that there was?)
* With condos, when it's not obvious which unit doorway is correct, please tape one of your business cards on the door. I hate trying my keys on the wrong door, and then explaining to the large hairy sweaty man, who's holding the barking doberman back... that we simply tried the wrong door.... Sorry...... Sorry............... Sorry....... (backing away slowly).
* Please leave us a note as to where (and how to find) the laundry is, parking space (or garage), and any storage locker. Don't make us guess.
* If the property is in foreclosure, and the kitchen counters, cabinets and appliances have been removed since the photos were taken... please mention that... (or retake the photos)... same applies to bathrooms.
* If you must leave a "Barky McBarksalot" dog behind... please leave him/her crated, or locked in a smaller bedroom or basement room. Some buyers are afraid of "Barky McBarkenhaber"!
Phew!!.... Well, that's all I have for this morning. I'm sure I'll have more later... or maybe you have some of your own.
ALAN MAY, Realtor®
Specializing in Evanston Real Estate and North Shore Real Estate
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Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, 2929 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201
847.425.3779 Cell: 847.924.3313 Email: Almay@aol.com
Evanston Real Estate, Evanston Realtor, Evanston Buyers, Evanston Sellers
North Shore Real Estate, North Shore Realtor, North Shore Buyers, North Shore Sellers
Alan...
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