When Your Home is Listed For Sale Be Mindful Of Your Requests

When Your Home is Listed Be Mindful of Your Requests

When a seller puts there home on the market they may make a few requests of Buyer's Agents and their Buyers for when their home is shown.  While that is perfectly acceptable and within your rights I thought I would list a few of the most common requests that I have run into and what some of the "issues" there may be with the requests.

• Please do not let cats/dogs outside - While your pet is your family member you may have a buyer looking at your home that is allergic to pets and quite possible afraid of them.  Also, you put a huge burden on an agent that is trying to show your home.  While it is their job to point out the highlights of your home and give the buyers a tour they will become distracted with trying to wrangle pets.  It really is a huge disservice and an avoidable situation if you, as the seller, can either remove your pets during showings or contain them in a kennel.  I have had many showings were pets were contained to one room during showings - just as much a no-no - if the room can't be seen whether it be a laundry room, a garage, etc the buyer will not be interested.  And, most times the pets are on the other side of the door crying, barking and scratching at the door to get out.  Again, a distraction.
  
• LockBox location - while you may think that your door will get scratched up from a lockbox please think twice about placing the lockbox anywhere else.  Most lockboxes in the Wake Forest NC area have heavy rubber padding around them to prevent scratches anyhow.  I have been on many showings where I have had to hop on one foot, pat my belly and touch my nose with my left finger all while trying to get to a lockbox.  They have been on spigots of the home behind bushes (yes, I have been stung by bees) on back door porches and places that I never could find them.  Sometimes it wasn't that I could not find the box but that the buyer was frustrated with the amount of time spent looking for the box that they just chose to move on.
• Remove Shoes - while I certainly understand that you do not want buyers with dirty shoes traipsing through your home and getting the carpet dirty you may want to make provisions for the buyer's and their agent if you ask them to go sans shoes.  First of all, we don't know you, why do we want to walk through your house in our bare feet (most ladies with sandals don't wear socks with them).  If you are going to make this request please supply us with disposable "booties" that can be found at most home improvement stores.  A nice basket at the entrance - one for new booties and one for used booties.
• Please Turn Off Lights When Leaving - I never really understood this one.  You turn your lights on for a showing.  As the showing agent, how do I know that you don't have an appointment booked for later in the afternoon?  If I turn the lights out you have just left the next potential buyers in the dark.  If you live in a part of the country where an "Appointment Center" is used to make appointments please know that they do not tell us what the showing schedule is for your home - they only confirm OUR appointments. 
  
• Showing Notices - many sellers with children will request that they receive a notice before their home is shown.  Again, certainly understood but it may also cut out a wide audience of buyers that want to see your home.  Most of society today is all about instant gratification!  If they want to see a home now, then that's when they want to see the home.  Personally, I have no problem with one-hour showing notices.  But the 24 hours in advance?  That is stretching the patience of many - you never know when you might get that ONE buyer!

If your home is currently on the market and you have made some requests of Buyers Agents and their Buyers you may want to take a moment to review them.  Put yourself in the Buyers shoes (with booties on) and think about how you would feel.

                        

Whether you are buying or selling Real Estate in Wake Forest NC it just makes sense to use a Realtor® that knows the area!  I live here, work here and play here - I call Wake Forest NC home!  For more information regarding homes for sale in Wake Forest NC be sure to visit my websites:

• Leesa Finley- Homes for Sale in Wake Forest NC, Wake Forest NC schools, restaurants, shops, entertainment and MORE....
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