My own home is currently on the market and what a grounding experience this has been so far. Every morning before I sit down at my computer I sweep up dog hair, vacuum the hardwoods (yes, vacuum), clear off what's accumulated on the kitchen counters since yesterday's showing, have my boys make their beds, vacuum all carpets, and go on my daily litter box ‘treasure hunt'. All-in-all, maybe one hour of my morning just correcting for the ‘damage' we've done since yesterday. But wait! I don't even have a showing scheduled today...why would I go through this?
I don't know how many times each week I call my sellers asking them for a showing sometime that same day. "Yes, I know you're at work, but they'd like to see it at 3:30. Can you make this happen?" Do I fault the agent making the showing request? Nope! Maybe their buyer just discovered that they had an early afternoon off work and they'd like to squeeze in a couple of homes. It's really none of my business at that point...my interests rest in getting that agent and their buyers in if possible.
I go through the motions every day so my home is ready to show if so requested. Of course I want enough notice to get home and get the dog out for the showing, but other than that, my home is ready to show almost any time.
Sellers often are told to have their home within two hours of being ‘show ready'. This is a good standard to go by. That is, of course, unless you're both away at work all day. If this is the case, you're home should be ‘show ready' as you're pulling out of the garage. Granted, there are exceptions, such as elderly relatives living with us, guests visiting from out of town or ‘day sleepers' due to odd work shifts. Otherwise, you should be following the two hour rule. Never should you tie your Realtor's hands with a "24 hours notice to show" requirement.
Sellers, rest assured that if you're priced correctly, your home has been prepared to show well and you're open & flexible for same-day-notice showings, then you'll have the Sale Pending sign in the front yard before you know it and you're packing for that much deserved move to your new home!
If you're planning a move in the future, contact me via e-mail, or call (502) 641-9802, to schedule your 30-45 minute consulation on home pricing, the market surrounding you and real estate marketing strategies that produce results. For more topics relevant to today's homeowner, visit The Louisville Drop!
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