Seller's Guide:
Sell Your Home with Less Stress
Selling your home takes a lot of hard work. After you’ve found a Sales Associate, completed repairs and staged your home, the rest should be easy, right? Most of the hard work will be the job of your Sales Associate, but you’re not done. Showing your home can take a lot of your time but it doesn’t have to cause stress if you have a plan.
How do I Arrange for the House to be Shown?
In addition to open houses, your Sales Associate will be bringing potential buyers to see your home individually. Let him or her know how much notice you will need prior to confirmed appointments and how you want to be notified. You will still need to be flexible since sometimes you will get last minute requests. Remember, even in the worst case scenario, a buyer coming to see your home is what you want. Don’t turn someone away because you’re afraid your home won’t be ready. If someone asks to see your home on short notice, they should understand that it won’t be perfect.
Most of the traffic will occur during the first 3-4 weeks, but don’t worry if you don’t sell your home within this time. Most houses have a longer average Days On Market (DOM). The national average was 66 days in June, 2015, according to the National Association of Realtors®. If you are concerned that you aren’t getting enough traffic after several weeks, speak with your Sales Associate about modifying your marketing strategy.
How do I Keep My House Staged?
One of the most stressful parts of selling your home is keeping it ready for showings on short notice, especially if you have children or pets. In order to sell your home, the buyer must be able to picture themselves in your space, but that’s hard to do if there are toys in the living room or paw prints on the tile. Hopefully, you removed most of the clutter beforehand, so there is less to clean. Still, keeping your home ready to show can be a challenge.
It will be easier to clean if everything has a home.
Try not to leave anything for later, as you never know who may call between now and then.
It’s easier to wipe up a mess if the necessities are nearby.
Make a game out of returning toys to their proper home.
Only use this as a last resort, but items can be hidden in drawers, under the bed, in suitcases and in the trunk of your car.
Do I Need a Lock Box?
A lock box is a small electronic device that securely holds your front door key. Your Sales Associate will provide the box and attach it securely somewhere near your front door. Lock boxes have changed significantly over the years. They used to be small, combination boxes opened by a key to your home. Now, most lock boxes can only be opened by a real estate professional and, in some cases, an ID card is required. Many types of lock boxes will now record the time and name of an agent who is accessing your key.
Many types of lock boxes will now record the time and name of an agent who is accessing your key.
How do I Cope With the Stress of Selling a Home?
In addition to keeping your house clean for short-notice showings, you must find a place to go during these times. This can also be difficult if you have kids or expensive if it happens often during mealtime. Planning ahead can save you both stress and money.
Run errands, visit friends, or relax in a park or your local library. If your showings fall around mealtime, instead of going to a restaurant, try packing a picnic or ask a relative or friend if you can use their kitchen.
It’s also ok to stay at home during a showing and, of course, you can say no if there’s an emergency. Sometimes things happen and we have to deal with them first.
Key Takeaways:
Sell Your Home with Less Stress
Most of the traffic will occur during the first 3-4 weeks of listing your home, but don't worry if you don't sell your home within this time. Most houses have a longer average Days On Market (DOM). The national average was 66 days in June, 2015, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
If you get a last minute call to show your home, don't turn someone away because you're afraid you won't be ready. If someone asks to see your home on short notice, they likely understand that it won’t be perfect.
Keeping a house ready for a last-minute showing can be stressful. If everything has a home, it will be easier to clean and leave no mess behind. You never know when someone will call.
If a showing falls around mealtime, try packing a picnic or asking a relative or friend if you can use their kitchen instead of going to a restaurant.