Cindy's Blog

After showing a number of houses over the past month or so, it occurred to me that it might be helpful to offer some tips on what to do when your house is showing/ being shown. I always try to give some pointers on getting a house ready for market, and am very proactive with feedback. However, sometimes it takes being on the other side to realize that alot of the things you think go without saying just, well... they don't. Here are a few things that appear to not be so obvious, but that may be helpful if you're thinking of putting your house on the market this spring...

10) If your goal is in fact, to sell the house, do not put such restrictions on showings that it becomes difficult to actually show. You’re not doing yourself any favors by saying the listing agent must be there, or that you need 2 days notice. Especially in this market, people will lose interest before they can get in, and will often likely find another house before ever seeing yours.

9) It seems that there are enough shows on HGTV about decluttering and neutralizing a home for sale, but obviously they haven’t reached a saturation point, because there are still way too many homes where there are distracting amounts of clutter, furniture, strange collections (read: 30 antique dolls in one room, everywhere you look). At the risk of repeating something you’ve heard a thousand times- people want to picture their own furniture, people and lives in the house. If they can’t, and can only picture yours, they will probably keep looking.

8) If you have more pets per square foot than people, that’s probably a good sign your house may smell like them. While you may love your 6 cats, and are totally cozy with them in your 1200 square foot house, not everyone does, and they don’t want to be haunted by the “cats of owners past” once they move in. The cats may move, but the smell often doesn’t. Most people know this.

7) When you are listing your home, whether with me or someone else, if you have surprises in store, put them in the listing. You may be used to the talking parrot that lives in your master bath, or the eerily life like mannequin in the hallway, but trust me, when someone is trying to view your house, we want to know those things BEFORE we arrive and think someone is being tortured inside.

6) Most folks don’t mind taking their shoes off to look at a house, so if you’d like us to do that, have a sign at the front door requesting that. However, if you do request it, please clean your floors. This seems to go without saying, but obviously, it doesn’t.

5) Fish is terrific. I totally agree with the idea that we should all eat fish at least 2-3 times per week. However, do everyone, including yourselves, a favor, and enjoy your seafood (and for that matter, any other smelly foods) out while your house is on the market. Even if you have the best range hood ever, it’s hard to get a heavy food smell out. I know, because I’ve got the best range hood ever (one my father says will “pull your pants right off”) and I can smell fish the next day. While your dinner may have been completely delicious, trust me, it doesn’t smell that way the next day. EVER.

4) If you’re a smoker, and you know you’re going to be putting your house on the market, start smoking outside as soon as you’ve made that decision. While you may not think it smells, trust me, it does. Trust me, also, that there is no air freshener/ cleaner/ deodorizer that can get that smell out. Even if you stop a month or two before, chances are the smell is going to hang around in your curtains, furniture, carpeting, etc. Unless the buyer is a heavier smoker than you, they will notice, and if they are not buying it with the thought of a total re-do, it will usually turn them away.

3) It’s best if you can leave your home when you know you have a showing, but everyone understands that sometimes, you just can’t. However, if you are going to be there, try not to fall asleep when you know someone is coming. IF you do, or you find yourself very sleepy, make sure you have clothes on. I’m not kidding. The only thing worse than finding an unconscious/ sleeping person in a house that’s supposed to be empty, is finding a naked one.

2) If you have a grave in your yard, and it’s not of historical significance, (say, it’s a family pet) don’t erect a headstone and put out plastic flowers like it’s a cemetery. We all understand emotional ties, but it’s hard for a buyer to visualize a family barbecue or their kids on a swing set when they feel like they’re invading a graveyard.

1) aaaand…Last but not least: Everyone has their thing, but if yours is taking photos of loved ones in their coffins, don’t tuck them in your dresser mirror next to the Disney pictures. It freaks people out. Really freaks people out. To the exclusion of everything else. I’m NOT kidding. Just put them away, and when you move, do whatever you like.