Preparing your Home for Showing

With buyers, first impressions count. A small investment in time and money will give your home an edge over other listings in the area when the time comes to show it to a prospective buyer. Here are some suggestions that will help you to get top market value:

General Maintenance Curb Appeal

• Oil squeaky doorknobs
• Cut lawns
• Tighten doorknobs
• Trim shrubs
• Replace burned out light bulbs
• Weed and edge
• Clean and repair windows
• Pick up any litter
• Touch up chipped paint
• Clear walk and driveway
• Repair cracked plaster
• Repair gutters and eaves
• Repair leaking taps and toilets
• Touch up exterior paint

Spic and Span The Buying Atmosphere
• Shampoo carpets
• Be absent during showings
• Clean washer and dryer tubs
• Turn on all lights
• Clean furnace
• Open drapes in the day time
• Clean fridge and stove
• Play quiet background music
• Clean and freshen bathrooms
• Keep pets outdoors

The Spacious Look
• Clean and tidy entrance
• Clear stairs and halls
• Functional doorbell
• Store excess furniture
• Polish door hardware
• Clear counters and stove
• Make closets neat and tidy

Showing Your Home

My office will handle all the calls for agents wishing to show your home to prospective buyers. My main goal is showing your home to as many of these buyers as possible and keeping disruptions to your life as low as possible. The following choices are available for showing:

1.  We will call you personally for each showing and you arrange to be home or make arrangements for entry to the property.
2. We put a lock box on your home. A lock box will hang on your front or back door that contains a key to the house. We call you each time an agent calls us to make sure the time is okay, giving you positive confirmation.
3. We call to let you know appointments are set. You can then call us back only if this is not a good time. (We will confirm all appointments to knock first and use lock box.)
4. The house is vacant and the lock box can be used at any time.

Once you choose a method for showings, you have the option of changing it just by letting us know.