One of the greatest things about selling your home privately is showing it yourself. All big purchases are made on emotion and that holds true when people are buying a home. We buy with our hearts and then buy with our head. First and foremost, when choosing a neighbourhood and a home, lifestyle is usually at the top of the list.
You already know your home and your neighbourhood better than anyone else, so why would you want to pay someone when you are the best person for the job? Here are some tips to teach you how to show your home.
Make A Highlight List
You know everything about your property and a lot about your neighbourhood. Making a highlight list ensures you don’t forget anything and keeps you on track during showings. When people are buying a home there are often four things that are most important to them: location; age; size and special features. Make sure your highlights include the best features of each.
Prepare Your House For A Showing
Give yourself time to walk through your house and do any last minute things before your prospective buyers arrive. Open all the blinds, turn on all the lights, make the beds, straighten up the washroom (including putting down the toilet seat), store personal items, put away small valuables, make sure there is parking and a clear path to the door, adjust the temperature to a comfortable level and put on some soft music in the background.
Greet Buyers With A Smile
Before you open the door take a second and smile. You are about to show the future owners their new home for the first time. You get one shot at a first impression. You’ve put a lot of care into your property so take the time to showcase your time and effort.
Show The Outside First
Your prospective buyers already have their shoes on, so what better place to start than a tour to show the lay of the land and talk about the surrounding neighbourhood.
Ask Questions
If you ask someone what they are looking for in a house they will almost always tell you. It is easier to show the prospective buyers exact features they are looking for in a home if you know what is important to them. Talking about what they are looking for also helps to develop a rapport. We all like doing business with people we trust.
Give them a preview of what is to come but start with the less desirable areas. It is true that you have 30 seconds to make someone’s short list when seeing a home, but you want the grand finale to be the main feature.
• Generally, I suggest starting with the basement (unless your basement is THE show stopper). This way you get that out of the way first.
• Usually it is better to finish the tour above grade.
• After the basement move on to the second level (if your home has one).
• When showing the bedrooms, start with the master bedroom first.
• Most tours finish on the main level family room, great room or kitchen.
• Make sure to always finish in the most appealing area of your house – maybe it’s the deck with the incredible view!
Give your prospective buyers a brochure of the property and then let them have a look around on their own. This will give them a chance to discuss things amongst themselves and then ask any questions they may have.
The Offer
Most importantly, you need to lay out the next steps in the process. You want to get an offer on your home, so it is imperative that potential buyers know how to make you an offer. If you are using a professional marketing company like PropertyGuys.com, everything a buyer will need is laid out in a take-away magazine. This includes information on the home, frequently asked questions, a glossary of real estate terms and much more to help you guide the buyer through the steps to make an offer.
Make sure you have your contact information. If you didn’t have it before, get the buyer’s contact information so you can follow up after a couple of days to see if maybe they have some further questions. Worst case, they are not interested in your property but are willing to provide you some honest feedback that will help you with your next showing.
You are the professional when it comes to your home. After all, who knows it better than you? Follow these easy tips and you will be on your way to showing your home better than any pro and selling your home privately.
Jason Schlegel, PropertyGuys.com
