Special offer

5 Common Mistakes I See When Showing Homes!

By
Real Estate Agent

Okay folks, here's a few tips from the field.  Showing and previewing hundreds of homes has given me some insight into what my clients like to see and what turns them off when they look at homes.  I don't think any of these will be surprising, but just in case you don't watch a lot of HGTV, here goes!

- SMELLS!  If you're wondering if you should burn the vanilla flavor or apple cinnamon flavor candle, it doesn't matter...I'm not talking about you.  I have been in several homes this year that have such strong pet odors, especially dogs, that I almost gagged when I opened the door.  Big surprise, none of these homes have been of any interest to my clients.  If you're planning on selling, put on your big boy pants, ask a trusted friend to come over and make them tell you if your home stinks!  Rent a steam cleaner or pay a professional to clean your carpets, it will do wonders.  

- PARTY PICS!  You may be a big fan of the picture of your wife at a Mardi Gras party wearing an extremely revealing outfit with cute red tassels covering key parts of anatomy, but trust me, my clients are not!  No kidding, I've actually seen this in someone's home!  

- MAN CAVE DECOR! Okay guys, we get it that you like to smoke cigars, play cards, and get a little crude with your buddies in the basement or the garage.  However, your buddies probably aren't buying your house.  So, in preparation, why not take down your collection of vintage Budweiser "girl in a thong holding a beer bottle" posters?  Nothing screams, "OMG get me out of this room without looking at any of it's nice features" louder than nude pictures on the wall.

- JUNK! You've heard every HGTV personality say it, but some people still don't get it.  Get rid of all the unnecessary "flair" sitting on counters, shelves, dressers, floors, etc.  You're planning on moving anyway, so get a head start on boxing up that stuff and de-clutter your home.  This is another great time to get that trusted friend over and ask them to give you an honest opinion on your stuff.  Or better yet, why not get a one of your local top real estate agents to come over and give their opinion? (hint, hint, nudge, nudge!)

- EXCESSIVE FURNITURE!  I know you're proud of Aunt Clara's antique writing desk, but frankly, it makes your dining room feel really small.  Get down to the minimum you can comfortably live with in your home and make the spaces feel larger.  There's no substitute for space when someone is buying a home.  I recently showed a $500,000 home in a beautiful golf course community that my clients said felt "small and cramped" because there was so much antique and designer furniture in it.  This home was nearly 5,000 square feet!   Remember, "decorated" and "staged" are distinctly different things.

Whew!  Those are the big offenders that I see nearly every day.  If you're selling your home, don't you want it to look the best it can so you can move on?

Questions about Parkville, Liberty, Smithville, Platte City, Gladstone, or other Kansas City areas?  Give me a call, I'd love to help!

Scott Parman
sparman@kw.com
816-585-3273

Comments (6)

Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

great first post on ActiveRain.  Hope you can enjoy your time here.  I'd suggest adding a link to your site in a signature that will be at the bottom of all your posts.  you can do that in the settings here.

Aug 18, 2014 12:11 PM
Captain Wayne - Rowlett Real Estate School
Rowlett Real Estate School - Panama City, FL
Rowlett Real Estate School / Owner and Instructor

Hello and welcome to ActiveRain.  I hope you much success.

 

Aug 18, 2014 02:37 PM
Tom Arstingstall, General Contractor, Dry Rot, Water Damage Sacramento, El Dorado County - (916) 765-5366
Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 - Placerville, CA
General Contractor, Dry Rot and Water Damage

These do sound like the big offenders Scott.

Welcome to ActiveRain!

Aug 18, 2014 03:28 PM
Anita Allen
Levin Rinke Realty - 850-377-4410 - Pace, FL
Your Realtor for NW Florida, Pace/Milton/Pensacola

Welcome to Active Rain.  Great first post!

Aug 18, 2014 10:51 PM
Jeremy K. Frost
Keller Williams Realty - Dripping Springs, TX
Associate Broker, ABR,CNE,CRS,ePro,PSA,RENE,SRS

This is great information. Thanks for sharing and best of luck!

Aug 19, 2014 12:44 AM
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Scott: All good information. The smell factor is very important, because it generally hits the visitor as soon as the front door is opened. I have had buyers back out of a home immediately on that one. Welcome aboard Active Rain!

Aug 20, 2014 12:43 AM