I'm not just a fair weather friend - I'm a rainy day real estate agent too. Since I live and work in Olympia, WA I guess that is a really good thing because we do have rainy days - oh - let's just say often this time of year.
And showing houses in the rain may not have the same pleasure factor as a sunny warm day when everything looks good, but that is exactly why showing houses in the rain may be the ideal test to help a buyer find the perfect one.
So if you are selling your Olympia WA area house, and want to help make this rainy day real estate agent - and my buyers - really happy, here are some tips:
Please have a good durable, absorbent type mat or rug at your front door for us so we can dry our shoes off or balance while we take them off, before tracking in all over your beautifully vacuumed carpet. And don't forget the back door too - even in the rain, if this house is a strong contender, the buyers may want to check out your back yard. (Note - even if you have already moved out, please, please leave some door mats behind)
Do open all of your curtains and blinds and turn on lights if you know ahead that we are coming. A rainy day means a dark day, and a dark house just isn't appealing to most people. My rule of thumb is that if I can hardly keep myself from rushing straight to a light switch, that is just not a good sign about the brightness of the home - so help out as best you can.
Clean those windows too, since letting in all light possible is really a good thing.
Check that your gutters are not clogged up and that splash blocks are in place to direct water away from the house. I haven't yet had a buyer who thought signs of drainage issues was a wonderful thing to discover about a home.
(And for my sake - if at all possible have your agent put the lockbox somewhere that does not require me to wade through soaked shrubbery and then hunch over it with rain coming down my collar while I try to get the key out.)
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