Do You Really Want to Sell? Then Let Us Show!

I've sold my own home a few times, so I know how trying and hard it is to clean house and dart out for showing after showing.  It's inconvenient, it's no fun, and it's sometimes annoying and invasive.  However, if the buyers never get inside the front door, they will not be buying your house!

The best thing possible for your home is to be very very open and flexible for showing arrangements.  Yes, sometimes things will come up.  And sometimes those buyers only give you half hour notice! 
It's annoying, it's hard, but you have to do it!

The harder your house is to show, the less it will be shown.  Statistics from the Showing centers have proved a link between MUST Confirm appointments, restricted appointments, and longer days on market times.   And from showing my own buyers, I know it's a fact. 

Now this one's a bit extreme, but believe me, I JUST had this situation arise:

Buyers interested in a house called to see it with a 24 hour notice.  I called the desk to schedule and they called back to tell me it must have 48 hour notice.  Well my buyers are only off work to see homes twice a week, so I tried to schedule it for the next time they were off - a Saturday.  The next day I got a call back that there were to be NO Saturday appointments.   (Yes, I tried the listing agent - guess what, a limited service agent. No response from 3 messages)  I had the buyers give me every day they were off for the next week and tried to schedule.  To my surprise we got one appointment scheduled!    Today we were supposed to see that home.  But guess what?  2 hours before the appointment, the homeowner canceled it.   No explanation, no alternate time given.  

My buyers and I concluded that obviously they don't actually want to sell that house, and we're moving on.   From the days on market, I can bet this seller has been doing this to many appointments. 

Often buyers have a very set timeframe in which they can view.  Think of your own schedule and some of your friends.  When do YOU usually have a couple of hours to devote to looking at homes?    Especially in our area, many buyers are on odd shifts.  They may only occasionally have daylight time to spend, and if your house can't be shown during those times, it will be skipped - even though it may be perfect for that buyer! 

Then there's the ones from out of town, who have only that weekend or day to look for a home.  You can't be shown?  You won't be sold to that buyer then.

Now I'm not saying bend over backwards, rent a motel for weeks on end so it can be shown on 5 minute notice.  But do try to make your home as accessible to showings as humanly possible.  That buyer who wanted to see it at 6:30 when you normally have dinner - that might have been THE ONE.  Go out, get a happy meal, and just know that your efforts to show mean you won't have to put up with that inconvenience for too much longer! 

For more tips on making your home show its best and sell the fastest, feel free to contact us!