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Tip: Showing Houses In the Heat of the Summer

By
Real Estate Agent with Platinum Realty SP00229578 2007027091

So, you want to sell your house but you wonder who's going to come see it and make an offer to buy it when the temperature is 100+ degrees.  Good question!
 
According to our Centralized Showing Service stats, there was a drop in the number of showings the first few days the temperature first reached the 100 degree mark.  Shady homes are appealing in the heat What does this mean for the home seller? It means that the number of people looking at your home may be fewer. It also means that those people out looking are serious about buying a house. Just like home buyers who look at houses during snow storms & holidays, the buyers who come out in this heat have a reason and serious intent to buy a house now.

Tips for making your home appealing during the heat of the summer:

1. Water your lawn, flowerbeds, and trees. Buyers want to see a healthy looking outside. Don't let your house be the one with the brown grass and droopy, dead plants in front! Lush landscaping on the outside will have the buyers in an optimistic mood as they enter.


2. Turn the AC on 72 - 74 degrees. Don't cheap out on the AC. People will be hot  and uncomfortable driving around looking at homes; make them glad to be in yours! Make your home the 'oasis in the desert' - the oasis they don't want to leave.


3. Leave some bottles of ice cold water on ice in the sink along with a note on the kitchen counter inviting the buyers & their agent to help themselves. This will give the buyers a good memory of your house. It will also improve their impression of your home as they are going through it. Hot, thirsty people are harder to please than cool, well-hydrated people.


4. Throw away all the smelly air fresheners! The heat seems to make people more sensitive to smells and sellers often use scents that may not appeal to as many people as they think it will. A clean, fresh smell is what's needed when the heat is melting the asphalt.

 

 

 

Posted by

Maria Morton,Realtor© Call 816.560.375Eight Mobile.     Google Maria 

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*Information obtained from Heartland MLS is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. *This is an eclectic blog combining business with a little humor; please consult a licensed  professional before making life altering decisions. ♪♫  

Maria Morton of Chartwell Kansas City Realty is a licensed Real Estate Agent in KS & MO.  816-877-8200 Office 

4141 Pennsylvania Ave Ste 105 Kansas City, MO 64111   Maria Morton Copyright © 2008-2018 

Comments (9)

Tony & Darcy Cannon
Aubrey and Associates Realty - Layton, UT
The C Team

Maria, Those are some great tips for sellers during the really hot season! 

Jul 05, 2012 10:28 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Maria, it's hotter than Hades in these parts.  It's really hard to get up the enthusiasm for showing property.  Ugh!

Jul 07, 2012 01:34 PM
Donald Reich
Madison Specs - New Rochelle, NY
Cost Segregation Specialist

A/C is key.I showed a $2 million dollar home once where the A/C was often, since the owner was away . . .  the customers HATED it.

Jul 07, 2012 09:51 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Maria

Excellent advice for hot weather sellers, especially now. My Mom's house back in PA is on the market and boy is she glad she installed AC a few years ago in her 250 year old house. No doubt the buyers in the last few days are as well.

You see the opposite problem in the winter - freezing cold and no heat.

Jeff

Jul 08, 2012 04:14 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Any of the weather extremes it's good to put the house in the best showing position.  I showed property yesterday and the house was so cool.  All the owners had running were two box fans, stratgicaly placed.  We thought, "WOW" this house has great insulation. 

Jul 08, 2012 04:47 AM
Dr. Stacey-Ann Baugh
Century 21 New Millennium - Upper Marlboro, MD
A doctor who makes house calls.

Such great advice.  It's been really hot here and some bottles of water would have been very appreciated by the buyers.  I'm going to reblog this.

Jul 09, 2012 10:37 AM
Debbie Cook
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc - Silver Spring, MD
Silver Spring and Takoma Park Maryland Real Estate

Great Timely List - Your #3 is a brilliant and welcome idea.  Don't think I would ever forget the house that had the cool ice water there. 

Jul 11, 2012 02:30 PM
Maria Morton
Platinum Realty - Kansas City, MO
Kansas City Real Estate 816-560-3758

Thanks, Stacey Ann! Debbie, buyers do remember when they are reviewing and comparing homes after a showing trip. Any positive sensory input causes them to put that house in a better light.

Jul 13, 2012 11:37 PM
Nick T Pappas
Assoc. Broker ABR, CRS, SFR, e-Pro, @Homes Realty Group, Broker/Providence Property Mgmnt, LLC Huntsville AL - Huntsville, AL
Madison & Huntsville Alabama Real Estate Resource
Maria, with temps as high as they've been this was the perfect post to stop by...totally agree with all your tips...including the anti-air freshener.
Jul 15, 2012 06:34 AM