COVID has changed much of how we do things today, including selling our homes. Real Estate Agents have numerous protocols in place to ensure that you and your family are protected throughout the home-selling process, but in-person showings are still an important part of the buying process for homebuyers.

Here's what you can expect while your home is listed:

PRE-SHOWING PREP

To help to minimize the amount of pre-showing preparations required, strive to maintain a “show-ready” home by putting items away where they belong immediately after use, and cleaning as you go. Make a checklist of pre-showing tasks, such as packing up daily use items and storing them out of sight, turning on lights and opening doors, cleaning high-traffic areas, and setting up a sanitization station for visitors. In a perfect world, you will have ample notice for all showings, but in reality, that isn’t always the case, and being prepared will help you to avoid stressful last-minute preparations. 

TEMPORARY LESS COMFORTABLE DAY-TO-DAY LIVING

It is not easy to live in a show-home, but our goal in staging your home for sale is to reduce the time you will need to live this way. You may even find that living in this state will help you to reduce the clutter and unnecessary items in your next home!

INCREASED MARKET VISIBILITY

If you have listed your home with a local Real Estate Agent, your home will likely be marketed through various mediums, including the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and social media platforms. Remember that your buyers will view your photos online before visiting your home, so be sure to remove personal items (such as children’s nam

es) from visible areas prior to photos.

WHERE YOU NEVER THINK THEY'LL LOOK

While today’s buyers rely on the online listing for their initial evaluation of your home, most will want to visit the home in-person prior to making an offer. This allows them to review the home in its entirety, including areas that the photographer’s lens might have missed, and if something is being sold with the house, they will want to look there (think cupboards, appliances, and closets). Ensure that even the “hidden” areas are clean and organized.

BUYERS MAKING THEMSELVES AT HOME

While it might seem somewhat intrusive to have strangers making themselves comfortable in your home, it means that you have achieved the ultimate goal – they are envisioning themselves in the house! Creases on the couch mean that they have sat down to take in the room. Although most are taking extra caution in these regards, plan to sanitize all surfaces, including chair arms, counters, tables, etc. following all showings (don’t forget the light switches, doorknobs, and railings). For soft surfaces, consider an anti-bacterial spray that is safe for fabrics.

BE PREPARED FOR FEEDBACK

Your agent will likely advise you of the feedback that the potential buyers provide to their agents. Some concerns may not be easily addressed (layout, location, etc.), but be sure to listen to the constructive advice that they provide regardless. We spend years hearing about what our friends and family love about our house, so it is not easy to hear what others may not like. It is important to keep in mind that these are actual buyers looking for a home, and your house fits their basic criteria, so what they are saying does have value. You are not just selling your house; you may be selling their next home.

HIGH BUYER EXPECTATIONS

Regardless of the price point of your home, today’s buyers want (and expect) a move-in ready home. This means that they may choose to make some updates to the home eventually, but they want to know that they can move in and enjoy the house immediately. Statistics show that move-in ready homes fetch higher and more qualified offers.

To learn more about the home-selling process and how we can help, visit us at www.BeyondTheStageHomes.com.