Page 101 - Selling secrets 5 18 2023

Fido) with family or friends for a nice long drive in the
country. Having pets in the home during an open house is
at the very least a distraction and could even be a liability.
You want buyers to concentrate on the home without
worrying about letting a cat out or being bitten by a dog
who’s out of sorts and confused by the presence of strangers
in his home and his instinct to protect his territory.

Remember that the exterior of the house must be clean and
welcoming if you want people to come inside. Either hire a
professional to power wash your home and walkways or
rent a power washer and do the job yourself.

Your end goal is to create a pleasant, memorable experience
for house hunters that will make potential buyers feel right
at home. Better yet, making them feel like it could be their
home.

In addition to glistening floors and streak-free windows,
there’s an important factor that very few sellers consider: the
neighbors. Although it’s probably not the first thing a house
hunter considers in selecting a new home, eventually, they
will be interested in learning something about the neighbors.

Neighbors can be both you and your buyer’s best friends.
Alternately, they can also turn out to be your biggest
nightmare. Taking the surprise element out of the equation
helps put buyers at ease, so it’s often a good idea to invite
the neighbors to participate in the open house. It goes
without saying that you should make sure that the
neighbors you invite are indeed people who will make buyers
feel comfortable and at home.

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