July 16, 2021

Useful Information for Listing Agents and For Sale by Owners

Do Your Homework

It’s a good idea to consider several special features your property has that the competition might not. These might include an offering of greater privacy and peaceful surroundings, custom built features, brand new updates, extra large walk-in closets or a spacious and updated in-law apartment. Point out these features to guests as they walk through the home.

Realtor Advice

Prepare to answer questions about the property. This doesn’t mean you need to know every detail, but you want to be knowledgeable about what’s most important. The last thing a listing agent wants is to be asked several questions and not know the answers, coming across as uninformed and ill-prepared. If you prepare, you’ll be able to inform buyers with confidence and perhaps gain new clients in the process!

Properly Clean & Stage the Home

The biggest turn off for any buyer is walking into a messy and/or unclean property. Make sure the home is clean before showing it. Aside from cleaning, you should also be making sure the home is looking it’s best. Hide any sign of pets (litter boxes, chew toys, food bowls, etc.). Make sure that anything distracting is put away. That means clutter on counter tops or desks, family photos, fridge magnets. Make sure toilet seats are down, lights are on and all curtains are fully opened to let in as much natural light as possible! Last but of equal importance, make sure the outside of the house looks presentable and welcoming! Mow the lawn, put in new mulch, remove any clutter from the yard, and give the house a fresh coat of paint if it’s looking worn down.

Realtor Advice

If your sellers don’t have time or energy to invest in cleaning their home themselves, give them the information of your preferred cleaning service provider or, better yet, make sure they’re okay with the price and offer to schedule the service for them. This same concept applies with anything the house may need maintenance on.

Go Above & Beyond

In addition to cleaning and staging the property, add some features that’ll make it feel more like home for buyers. Put out fresh flowers and a beautiful but simple basket with fruit on the kitchen table or island. Display a decorative plant in that empty corner of the living room, or a hanging plant on the corner shelf in the bathroom. If there’s a gas fireplace, turn it on, or turn the TV on to a crackling fireplace if there isn't one. Light a subtly scented candle, and play light, cheerful music! Have refreshments out for people to enjoy as they walk around. If you really want to go above and beyond, batch a non-alcoholic cocktail into a beverage dispenser for everyone to enjoy!

Realtor Advice

An automatic bootie machine is also a great device to have to make keeping the floors clean easy and convenient! Just step in and out and you have on plastic shoe coverings!

Practice Safety

Before you let anyone into the house, make sure all valuables have been securely locked up. If it’s doable, keeping the front door locked with a sign on it that asks guests to ring the doorbell for everyone’s safety is also a good idea. When they come in, make sure every buyer signs the sign in sheet. In addition to being a good set of new leads, it’s also important for safety reasons.

Realtor Advice

It’s helpful to have a tablet set up at the front door or kitchen area for people to sign in digitally. There are even apps, like Open Home Pro, that will allow users to sign in and answer customized questions. They also allow the listing agent to make notes under different buyers profiles to remember anything specific. Apps like this are especially helpful because they allow you to leave with as much information as possible and they enable a smooth process.

Provide Helpful Information

It’s a good idea to have copies of the floor plan to hand out to guests as they sign in and, before guests leave, to offer them an information packet. This should have material on the property, the local schools, the community (even a section on what there is to do in the area if you have the time), a few of the most unique qualities of the home with photos, and any other important information buyers should be aware of. Having something like this for buyers will help make a lasting impression of your home vs. all the other homes they’ve seen that day.

Realtor Advice

Make sure your own information is clear and well positioned on the front of the packet. In addition to helping buyers remember the property, the packet is also a way of sending buyer leads home with your information on something other than a business card, and making it known to them that you are a capable and efficient realtor in the process.

Ask For Feedback

Ask for buyer’s feedback on the property and relay all important information that indicates a need to make changes to the seller. Make sure buyer’s do not leave the premises before you are able to thank them for coming and ask them to email you any feedback they have on the property. Feedback is extremely helpful for discovering a home’s less apparent shortcomings and changing anything that can be easily fixed!

Realtor Advice

If they don’t have a realtor, now is your time to hand over your business card and inquire whether they are still interested in your property, and, if not, what they are looking for, what their time frame is, and if they’d like to make an appointment with you to streamline their search. Let them know you are happy to offer any help they may need moving forward in the homebuying process. Be sure to follow up in a timely manner!