Once you’ve made the decision to sell your house and have hired a real estate agent to help, they’ll ask how much access to your home you want to give potential buyers. Your answer matters more now than it did in recent years. Here’s why.
Home Buying has Changed
At the height of the buying frenzy seen during the pandemic, there was a rise in the number of homebuyers who put offers on houses sight unseen. That happened for three reasons:
- Extremely low housing inventory
- A lot of competition from other buyers wanting to take advantage of historically low mortgage rates
- And general wariness of in-person home tours during a pandemic
Today, the market’s changing, and buyers can usually be more selective and take more time to explore their options.
So, in order to show your house and sell it efficiently, you’ll want to provide buyers with as much access as you can. We can all agree that living in a home you are trying to keep ready for showings isn’t easy, but the more flexible and prepared you can be, the quicker you can get that signed offer in hand and start your packing!
Getting Buyers in the Door
- Showing Availability– You are able to set the days and the hours of the days that your home is available for showings. The more open you are, the more potential buyers you will be able to accommodate. Keep in mind, many buyers are only available to look at home in the evenings and on weekends. QUICK TIP: List your home on a Friday and do a “Staycation” at a local hotel or go camping for the weekend. The house stays clean, appointment times are wide open, and you get to relax for a minute after all the work of getting your house ready to hit the market! It’s important to remember the first week on the market is when the most eyes will be on your home. If a buyer can’t get in within a reasonable timeframe, they will move on.
- Lead Time – No matter how hard you try, it’s nearly impossible to have your house “SHOWING READY” 24/7 especially if you live in Northern MN with all of our seasonal outdoor wear needs! When you are setting up your showing availability, you are able to set a certain amount of lead time for showings. A long lead time can limit how many potential buyers are able to see your home. Try to find a reasonable lead time for you and your situation that also doesn’t limit how quickly a buyer can see your home if it just showed up in their search.
Making the Most of Your Showings
- Physical Accessibility – Once the potential buyer is at your home, try to make it EASY for them! Keep the sidewalks cleared, doorways easy to get in and out of, keys well labeled, and if you do need them to follow any special instructions regarding locks or pets, have those instructions clearly visible and easy to follow. It’s hard for a buyer to imagine living in a home that seems difficult to get around in.
- Pets – Obviously we all love our pets. We all love OUR pets…that doesn’t mean every potential buyer loves our pets. The single biggest tip is get them out of the house for showings if at all possible. No matter how clean your home is, when a buyer sees a cat, they often think “cat hair.” Is driving around the neighborhood with a couple cats in your car is not your idea of a good time? Remember, it’s a temporary sacrifice to have your home show well and sell as quickly as possible. Also keep in mind that strangers can be very stressful for your pets as well. Make plans to make showings easy on your pets as well.
As today’s housing market changes, sellers need to really understand the importance of availability and access when trying to attract and appeal to the most potential buyers.
Bottom Line
Access can have a big impact on the sale of your house. Getting it right the first time will help get your home sold quickly and efficiently! Let’s connect today if you’re ready to make a move this spring.