Advice to Madeline Island Buyers - Make Sure You Have a Confirmed Showing Appointment

The seller of a home priced at over a million dollars will want you to schedule a confirmed showing appointment with the listing agent or broker, in order for you to view their property.

Why do you need to schedule a confirmed showing appointment?  And what does that mean?

Sellers, please don't be offended, but the owner of a million dollar home will need to know who you are.  They will require some basic information about you, such as a telephone number and address.  They want to make sure you are a real prospect.  And they generally want their listing agent to provide them with such basic information before a showing is scheduled.

If you're a walk-in visitor to an area real estate office and the property you wish to view is priced under $200,000 then this likely won't be as much of an issue.  But our owners of properties in what is considered to be the "upper bracket" price range will insist on some minimal information. 

Here's how easy it is to schedule a confirmed showing.

Simply call our Madeline Island Realty office in La Pointe, Wisconsin (or one of our agents) and request a showing of a specific property.  Let us know what date and time works for you, when you plan to arrive on the Island and how much time you have available.  We strongly encourage buyer prospects to allow at least two to three hours on the Island to view properties.  Setting aside an entire afternoon is better still, especially if you plan to view multiple properties.

Next, we will contact the property owner and will determine that the property is available for showing.  We will then call you back to confirm your showing date and time.

Why schedule a confirmed showing?

A confirmed showing protects both you and the seller.  Once confirmed, you have a guarantee that you will have the opportunity to view that property.  When a buyer is traveling 250 miles or more to view a property, that is a very good idea.

Moreover, this is a good idea regardless of the time of year.  In summer, the listing agent needs to contact the homeowner (and in some cases the property manager or rental agent) to make sure the home is available.  Some Madeline Island homeowners rent their homes during "high season" in summer.  And when the house is occupied by renters, chances are you won't be able to view it with short notice.  Renters want their privacy and after all, they're paying for it.

In the off-season, advance notice may be even more important.  If the house is closed up for the winter, the listing agent will need to arrange for access to the home.  The listing agent will want to be able to turn on the lights and to heat the place enough so it will be comfortable to view.

Help us to help you.

When you call our office or contact one of our professionals for a property showing, we're eager to assist you.  But remember that we need to take certain steps in order to ensure that you aren't wasting time by expecting to walk into a real estate office, hoping to gain immediate access to a property.