Tips on showing a house


13 Tips for Showing Your House that Appeal to All 5 Senses

Why does a Hershey’s kiss seem more special wrapped in shiny foil? What is it about that new-car smell? Have you ever drank wine out of a water glass? It didn’t taste as good, did it?

These universal sensory cues are difficult to explain but come down to “embodied cognition,” explains the Harvard Business Review, or the idea that our sensations influence our decisions as consumers, without us even realizing it.

Since our senses play a key role in our emotional processing, that means when buyers walk into your home, you want them to feel something they can’t put their finger on.

With subtle but powerful touches, you can orchestrate an experience that achieves just—while drawing focus to your home’s highlights.

“Keep buyers away from mentally chipping away at your list price,” advises Ruth Wordelman, a top real estate agent in Colorado Springs.

“You don’t want them to come in the house and start immediately saying, ‘I’d need to change this. I’d need to do that,’ and start adding up the costs. Keep them on a positive note—like, ‘Wow, how beautiful is this?’”

Cash buyers, on the other hand, are more interested in the nuts and bolts of your house. If you’re looking for a fast home sale with minimum prep work and are willing to sacrifice a bit from the top price a real estate agent can get you, HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform may be a great option.

We’ve put together our agent-approved tips for for showing your house that appeal to all 5 senses, from low-maintenance plant ideas that grab attention from the curb to the simplest ways to keep your home free of distracting odors. Use this guide, along with your top agent’s advice, to keep your potential buyers engaged in all of your home’s assets during showings to command the best price possible.

Sight: Make your home a show-stopping spectacle

We’ll begin with endless possibilities of appealing to a buyer’s sense of sight with intentional pieces of eye candy, starting with critical outdoor visual cues.

Appeal to buyers’ sense of sight before they step inside

1. Greet buyers with simple plants that bring your front steps to life

A few well-placed planters go a long way toward welcoming buyers right up to your front door.

Bright flowers are beautiful, but you don’t have to overwhelm your porch with them, especially if they’ll wilt without a lot of care. Instead, go for easy-to-grow plants that will look beautiful for showing after showing.

2. Mow your lawn like a pro

From a buyer’s perspective, landscaping is one of the most appealing exterior upgrades.

A well-manicured lawn is important, but what if you go the extra step to create that stadium-quality checkerboard pattern in your grass?

It’s as easy as mowing back and forth in straight lines parallel to your street or driveway. When you finish your entire lawn, turn your mower 90 degrees and do the same thing. If you want to get creative, try the same thing at a diagonal.

On the inside, remove distractions for a clean, minimal look

3. Hide cords out of sight

We all have dozens of devices, each with their own charging cords. These can be an eyesore if they’re hanging all over your home.

Collect all chargers that don’t need to be plugged in and stash them away in a drawer with a compartment organizer for each cord.

For TV or computer chargers that stay plugged in, bind multiple cords together with cable twisters and tuck the bunch behind your desk, shelves, or entertainment stand.

4. Stash “extras” in bins

Buy stackable bins of various sizes and colors, like the clip-top boxes from Sterilite, to hold assorted personal items that don’t have a home—knick-knacks, toys, that random single sock—and store behind long coats in your hallway closet.

Assign each family member a color (for the top or entire bin) so it’s easier to sort out odds and ends later, or use brightly-colored duct tape to differentiate between clear bins.

5. Put away personal items

You want your home to be welcoming, but not to the point that your personal photos and tchotchkes overwhelm the space.

Wordelman errs on the side of less is more, which means that the cleaner the house and the simpler the decor, the more buyers can really experience your home. You don’t need to add pillows and throws or hang extra art—in fact, pare down shelves, and pack mementos into the stackable bins.

“The less you have on the walls, in my opinion, makes the house look bigger and more open,” Wordelman says.

Source: (Itay Kabalo / Unsplash)

Smell: Deodorize, neutralize, and freshen

Humans have a very acute sense of smell, and our ability to distinguish between 1 trillion (yes, really!) different scents impacts how we perceive situations and people.

Ever walked the streets of New York City in the summertime? Two words: hot garbage. Think about how off-putting trash and pet odors might be for buyers, and start with simply neutralizing any strong smells in your home.

Wordelman advises sellers against using candles or incense or anything with a flame, in part because of the fire hazard. But she also says that overly scented or fake aromas, like those from plug-in air fresheners, may indicate to buyers that you’re trying to mask bad odors.

“You walk into a place and wonder ‘hmm, I wonder what they’re trying to cover up?’” she says. “So gentle smells, if any.”

6. Use mildly-scented cleaning products

One of the most important steps you can take before a showing is to clean, clean, clean! According to the Consumer Reports National Research Center, cleaning and decluttering could up your asking price by 3-5%.

Some products have harsh, bleachy odors, which is great for deep cleaning but not for showings. Use strong products ahead of time, and freshen up with milder, naturally scented alternatives from Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day or Method.

7. Take out the trash

Empty every trash can in your home, including kitchen, bathrooms, and kids’ bedrooms.

Stinky trash can overpower all other pleasant scents. Keep in mind when your garbage pickup occurs, as you also want to avoid overflowing dumpsters stinking up your yard or driveway.

8. Accent with natural aromas, if any at all

Plug-in air fresheners are too overpowering, says Wordelman—but here’s a trick: pick a gentle scent like clean linens, then unplug it a few hours before buyers arrive.

The scent will still linger but rather than noticing the aroma overtly, buyers will simply think that the home smells and feels fresh. They’ll be able to picture folding their clothes neatly into a basket on laundry day, once the house becomes theirs.

Other tiny touches can make your home smell better naturally, like grinding a lemon or orange rind in the garbage disposal or placing dryer sheets in your drawers.

Citrusy scents alone make buyers think a home’s worth more. In a 2016 experiment conducted by realestate.com.au, 44 home buyers were split into groups to tour the same home infused with various scents: brownies, hot bread, freshly made coffee, citrus, and dirty socks.

The results showed that the smell of citrus can boost buyers’ perceived value of a home by $100,000.

9. Address pet odors head on

Selling your home with pets takes a bit of extra work. You’ll need to deodorize, put away any pet products, and have a plan for your pet during showings.

If the buyers are comparing your home to others (which they will be), they’re going to pick the one that doesn’t come with a pet odor, over a one that does.

It’s all about perception—even if the odor would disappear when you move out, in a buyer’s mind, there’s too much risk involved.

Source: (Lee Campbell/ Unsplash)

Hearing: What’s the music to buyers’ ears?

Sound should complement a buyer’s experience in your home, not cover it up—especially if there’s a lot of street noise or activity at your neighbor’s house.

Wordelman advises sellers to be upfront about any noise issues, adding that most homeowners have already taken steps to mitigate these concerns for themselves.

“We don’t want to seem like we’re hiding things,” she says. “[Buyers] might as well know about it now when they’re seeing it versus a week and half later when they show up to do the inspection.”

10. Play soft music in the background

Background music can set the mood for your showing and may even subtly sway buyers’ opinions: Research from the Journal of Retailing suggests that music can influence purchasing choices.

Wordelman recommends quiet music that doesn’t overpower conversations, like soft jazz.

If you have surround sound speakers in your home or an open floor plan, turn on music at a low volume in the main living area.

Otherwise, turn yours TVs to the same cable or satellite music station play consistent music throughout the family room, master bedroom, and basement.

“Usually our cable channels out here will have music stations, so that way you can put it on in multiple areas of the house,” she says.

Or, try Pandora’s Smooth Jazz Instrumentals station, which has more than 462,000 listeners, or Spotify’s Jazz Vibes playlist (872,000 followers).

Keep in mind that if you use the free versions of these services, you may be subject to commercials or listening time limits.

11. Make use of wind chimes and water features

Water features and wind chimes help lessen the impact of street noise, especially when buyers are exploring your front and back yards.

These decorations work best when the listener is close by—so they aren’t meant to drown out loud sounds if you’re inside.

Most home improvement stores stock self-install fountains to meet a variety of aesthetic preferences and budgets. You can also make your own with a planter, a plastic bucket, a bag of rocks, and a few simple tools. If you go the professional route, the national average cost to install a fountain or waterfall is just over $2,600.

Keep in mind that fountains are seasonal because they are generally connected to your outdoor water supply. If showings take place during colder months, you may not be able to make use of water features.

Wind chimes are even simpler and less expensive than water features.

Chimes will sound different depending on their size, shape, and material, so test a few out before you decide.

Woodstock Chimes makes wind chimes in a variety of tones that are highly rated and will set you back less than $50.

12. Talk to your noisy neighbors ahead of time

If you have a noisy neighbor—think barking dogs, loud music, or voices that carry—let them know about upcoming showings well in advance.

Address them in a non-confrontational way, ideally not in the midst of noisy chaos, and listen carefully to any concerns they have about your own noise levels.

Ideally, you aren’t just trying to stop the noise for a few hours—you’re attempting to make a lasting positive change to benefit your buyer.

Source: (Jade Wulfraat / Unsplash)

Taste: Offer buyers a welcome refreshment break

Touring homes is exhausting!

Buyers will be showing up after long days of work, parched and close to delirious.

You don’t have to prepare a whole catered spread for showings, but some simple bites and beverages can help energize buyers to linger a bit longer in your home.

If they’ve seen multiple properties just before yours, refreshments will feel like a welcome—and necessary—break.

13. Treat buyers with bottles of water and simple snacks

Touch: Use textures to create a tactile experience for buyers

Buyers want to feel like they could live in your home, and texture can make them feel welcome if it’s not overdone.

When it comes to the sense of touch, Wordelman says she prefers to keep things clean and simple and work with what sellers already own rather than adding luxurious accessories purchased just for the sake of a showing.

Here are a few bonus tips to maximize touch without maxing out:

The bottom line when appealing to buyers’ senses is to highlight what’s already great about your home—then give it a little extra oomph with simple touches and gestures.

“I’m all about not trying to trick a buyer,” Wordelman says. “I want them to see and experience as much of the house as they can so we’re not risking taking it off the market and turning around and having to go list again because they didn’t notice something.

Header Image Source: (Tirachard Kumtanom/ Pexels)

Tips for Showing Your House

In this article

Real estate showings give potential buyers the opportunity to see and experience your home in person. Showings are a very important part of the home buying and selling process — in fact, according to the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018, 79% of buyers said that taking a private tour was extremely or very important to their home-buying decision.

What is a real estate showing?

A real estate showing is any opportunity you give a potential buyer to see your home in person. It could be an open house, a lockbox tour or a private showing.

If you’re looking for a conventional buyer, and if you want to encourage multiple offers, avoiding showings isn’t really an option. Sight-unseen sales are extremely rare, unless you’re dealing with international or out-of-town buyers.

Whether you’re looking forward to showing off your home to potential buyers or dreading the process, here’s how to show a home for sale.

What is an open house?

In an open-house format, all potential buyers come at once, usually over the course of a three- to four-hour period on a weekend afternoon. A well-attended open house can help you streamline the showing process, since more people can see your home at once. It can also spark a competitive spirit in potential buyers, as they may want to rush to get their offer in before anyone else.

Open houses can minimize the inconvenience of showings — you’ll only have to get your house buyer-ready one time, and you’ll know the schedule ahead of time. Open houses can also help you capture potential buyers who might just be out exploring the neighborhood.

A downside to open houses — not everyone who attends your open house is an interested or qualified buyer. Open houses attract a lot of lookie-loos who might not actually want to buy your house.

What is a lockbox house showing?

More convenient than private tours, lockbox tours allow potential buyers to look at your home with their own agent. Since they can access your home with a lockbox, this setup allows more flexibility in scheduling. They can let themselves in rather than waiting for your agent to show the house.

Buyers often like lockbox tours because they’re able to speak freely about their opinions on the house without worrying about the seller’s agent listening.

One downside to consider is potential security issues that come with letting strangers into your home while you’re not there — more on safety precautions later.

What is a private house showing?

Perhaps the most common home tour arrangement, a private house showing is when your agent gives buyers a personal tour of the home. Sometimes, serious buyers request a private tour of the home after attending an open house — this is a good sign!

A private tour allows sellers and their agents to control the showing. The agent can answer all of the buyer’s questions in real time, point out your home’s best features, and make sure nothing gets damaged or stolen.

One downside to private tours is that since you or your agent will be on-site, buyers may feel uncomfortable getting a true feel for the home, which might include opening closets, spending time in every room, checking out storage spaces, and talking through their likes and dislikes.

Preparing to show a house for sale

House showings can be scheduled without much advance notice, so ideally, your home should be kept spotless while it’s listed for sale. You want to be prepared to show the house whenever someone calls.

If you have an open house scheduled, you have the benefit of knowing how much prep time you have. But with lockbox or private tours, you may have only between a half an hour and a few hours’ notice. Here are some tips for preparing your home for showings.

Before the first showings

  1. Clean thoroughly: Steam the carpets, mop or vacuum hard floors, clean windows, polish appliances and give the bathrooms a serious scrubbing.
  2. Secure your belongings: Lock away any valuables to avoid theft of expensive items or private information.
  3. Have a plan for pets and kids: Your showings are much more likely to go smoothly if family pets or young family members aren’t around.
  4. Depersonalize and declutter: Room by room, remove little items that clutter up the space and make rooms look smaller. Remove family photos and personalized decor — you want buyers to picture themselves living in the home, and they can’t do that with your family pictures on the wall.
  5. Rearrange furniture as needed: Remove furniture to make rooms seem bigger, and swap pieces in and out of different rooms to give each space an obvious purpose. For example, add a desk and chair to a bonus room to show it as a home office, or move a twin bed into an empty bedroom.
  6. Don’t forget the outside: Curb appeal helps your home make its first impression, and your to-do list will vary seasonally. Common tasks include planting flowers, pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, raking and shoveling snow.
  7. Keep storage spaces tidy: Every buyer is looking for a home with plenty of storage, which means they’re going to be opening your closets, pantry and garage doors. Don’t just shove extra belongings into closets — they need to look tidy and not overfilled.
  8. Highlight the best features: Identify the features that are most attractive about your home. If you have beautiful hardwood floors, remove the rug that’s covering them up. Love your stainless steel appliances? Don’t hide them behind refrigerator magnets or dish towels.

Ongoing home showing tips

  1. Keep family members in the loop: Make sure everyone who lives in your house knows when showings are scheduled so they can keep their spaces tidy.
  2. Do a daily cleaning: Be vigilant about cleaning up daily messes, like crumbs on the table, coffee spills on the counter or toothpaste drips in the bathroom.
  3. Avoid strong-smelling foods: Keep your meal prep simple and avoid foods that leave long-lasting odors.
  4. Keep pet areas clean: Clean up after your pets immediately and wash their bedding regularly.
  5. Make it light and bright: Open blinds and curtains to let in as much natural light as possible, and leave lights on when you vacate for a showing.
  6. Hide pet food or litter: Not everyone is a dog or cat person! Buyers shouldn’t even be able to tell you have a pet.
  7. Empty trash cans: To avoid bad odors, regularly empty trash cans in every room.
  8. Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature: If tours will be happening when you’re at work and you usually turn the heat off, keep it on so that buyers will be comfortable during their tour. Same goes for the summer — if you have a nice, cool house, buyers will be inclined to stay longer and enjoy the home.
  9. Provide refreshments: Make your home feel welcoming with snacks, candy and desserts. Don’t forget to leave a garbage can in plain sight so visitors can clean up after themselves.
  10. Consider seasonal ambience: A fall fire in the fireplace, winter hot chocolate or freshly cut spring flowers are always nice touches.
  11. Ask the neighbors for help: If you’re on good terms with your neighbors, you can ask for their cooperation in keeping their dogs from barking.

Common showing mistakes

Since showings are such an important part of a buyer’s decision-making process, it’s important that you avoid common mistakes that can negatively affect how your home is perceived.

Try your best to avoid the following home showing pitfalls:

  1. Not accommodating showings: Sure, showings can be a pain to prepare for, and they can be scheduled last minute, but it’s in your best interest to be flexible with your potential buyer’s schedule whenever possible. They’re usually looking at multiple homes in a day, and they may not circle back to see your home again if it’s not available when they ask to see it.
  2. Asking buyers to take their shoes off: While it would keep your floors a bit cleaner, it’s a mistake to ask buyers to take their shoes off, as it might make them feel unwelcome. If you’re concerned about wet or muddy feet, you can leave a basket of disposable booties out. Also, make sure to have a good mat at the front door.
  3. Attending your own showing: It’s considered a faux pas for sellers to be present during showings at their home, as it can make buyers feel uncomfortable. If you’re selling your home on your own, without the help of an agent, consider using a lockbox for showings. If you’re a for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) seller and you have to host the showing yourself, don’t hover. Let visitors explore your house on their own, and just be available to answer questions.
  4. Using too many candles and air fresheners: Many people dislike or are allergic to strong fragrances. And strong scents can make buyers think you’re trying to cover up bad smells. Instead of candles and air fresheners, try fresh flowers, freshly baked cookies or coffee — subtle is better.
  5. Taking feedback personally: It can be hard to hear criticism about your home, but it can be helpful. For example, if you find out a buyer said the carpets looked dirty, you can clean them before the next showing.
  6. Failing to declutter and depersonalize: A messy home makes buyers think you’re not taking good care of it, and it’s very hard for buyers to picture the house as their own if your stuff is everywhere.
  7. Removing too much: On the flip side, you don’t want to completely empty your home — there’s a reason home staging is popular. According to the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018, 48% of recent buyers said that having a home staged was extremely, very or somewhat important to their purchase decision. Strategically placed furniture helps define spaces and shows buyers how they might use a particular room. And by leaving beds in bedrooms, you show buyers what type and size of furniture might fit. Finally, empty homes don’t give off a warm and welcoming vibe.

How to show a house for sale by owner

When you sell a house with a listing agent, they usually handle the private tours and open houses. But when you’re selling FSBO, you’re on your own.

Don’t forget these important to-dos:

  1. Prepare flyers: Keep pamphlets or listing sheets on hand to give to buyers and their agents. Make sure they include full-color photos.
  2. Have a sign-in sheet: Ask visitors to sign in with their contact info so you can follow up or reach out if something goes missing.
  3. Ask for feedback: After the showing, contact the agents who attended to see what their buyers thought of the home. There may be actionable feedback that could help your home appeal to more buyers.

Real estate showing safety precautions

No matter what kind of showing you’re planning, it’s important to keep a few safety precautions in mind.

Before showing your home for sale

  1. Lock away valuables.
  2. Secure sensitive financial documents.
  3. Lock up or remove medication.
  4. Keep the home’s interior and exterior well-lit, especially during evening showings.
  5. Remove any decor with your family members’ names and pictures, especially kids’.
  6. Box up belongings you don’t need — this will keep your belongings safe and help you prepare for your move!

During a home showing

If you’re the one running the showing, either because your home doesn’t have a lockbox or because you’re selling on your own, follow these safety precautions:

  1. Don’t let people in who aren’t scheduled (unless it’s an open house).
  2. Ask a friend or family member to keep you company so you’re not in the house alone.
  3. Keep a record of who comes through the door, even for private tours.
  4. Inform nearby neighbors of showings or open houses.
  5. Trust your gut — red flags include people checking doors, windows and security systems, one person trying to distract you while the other tours the home, or someone asking about your personal schedule (e. g., when you’re home or when you’re gone).
  6. Lock up your home right after the tour has concluded.

How to Show Your Home to a Buyer - Realtor's Tips

There are a lot of typical things you need to do before you put your house up for sale - this is cleaning, sorting out any unnecessary things, and so on. We all know this because it is obvious. But there are still some ways to put your home in a favorable light for future buyers, to distinguish it from all the rest.

We understand that readers need fresh and useful advice, not the kind that can be found on every page on the Internet, and where the same thing is written everywhere. But you will need to try many other, non-traditional methods to attract potential buyers. nine0003

Below are some helpful tips to make your home special. Perhaps you have not even thought about this, and you never would have thought yourself. You can also read topics on why interior design is important when selling a home and how to make your home look like you hired designers.

Hire a home inspector before listing your home for sale

Hiring a home inspector is usually done by interested people who already have a view of your home. But if you live in an area where there are a lot of properties for sale, the best option that you can stand out among them would be a sign that says "Verified". nine0003

Home buyers will drive by and see that you have already had a full inspection, that everything is in order inside and they will not need to invest additional funds. But there may be another option - they wish to hire another person for their complete confidence. Ask the inspector to show you the top 5 or 10 ways to quickly repair, let him advise you on what needs to be done before selling. Fix anything that needs it, and then proceed to show your possession.

Start your own public media company with advertising

Not all of us are professionals in the field of proper advertising. This is a powerful thing that can tell everyone that you are selling a home. Realtors can do this work for you: take pictures, prepare advertising, and then conduct online tours of viewing the house on social networks. But it will not be difficult to do it yourself.

House tour

Have you ever been on a house tour that sells? They are like well-dressed women, or like expensive hotel rooms: stylish, modern, but not exaggerated. Go to a couple of such events, and take an example from their design. In most cases, you will notice spacious, open rooms in which beautiful, stylish furniture .

Tables will be decorated for dinner, with a vase of flowers, crystal tableware; kitchens with new worktops; the windows are dressed in high quality curtains for the hall ; floors will be shiny and snacks will be offered to all guests.

Repeat it all for yourself - make the room clean, tidy, concise, with a modern design that almost everyone likes, in a word - dream home . Buyers love to look at luxurious interiors, so consider all the ideas to make your home luxurious. nine0003

Pack half of your things before showing the house

It may seem like a lot of work, but by removing half of your things, the house will look less crowded, cleaner and more spacious. Go through all the closets, put away those clothes that you definitely won't need for a few months. As for the kitchen - hide what you do not use daily. Also look for personal photos and home décor because they can "scare off" buyers. nine0003

In essence, getting rid of what you don't need gives the rooms an extra sense of freedom. People want to see big, spacious rooms where they can imagine themselves, not cluttered ones with other people's personal belongings. Once you've done that, start thinking about moving into a new home, and read this article on 10 things to know before buying a new home in 2014.

Ask a truthful friend for advice before putting your house up for sale

Sometimes we don't see what's really going on in our house. We do not notice boxes of porridge, which, when folded, spoil the overall picture; we don’t pay attention to how a large leather armchair in the office blocks the amazing view of our yard, and all because we see this picture every day, we just got used to everything over the past years of living here. nine0003

Only a good, honest friend can tell you what is wrong. Let him go through all the rooms and mark those items that can serve as a "distraction" for potential buyers. Of course, you can also hire a realtor for this business, but, firstly, it is paid, and secondly, this is a stranger, unlike a person close to you. Moreover, you will listen to the second with the greatest success, while you may not even want to listen to the first.

We all want our property to be sold as quickly as possible. Here are the main things we can say (briefly): think creatively, use new, non-standard ideas; hire a home inspector; immerse yourself in the creation of media advertising; organize a tour; put away things you don't need; listen to a friend's words to remove things that may scare off buyers. nine0003

These methods, together with all the typical preparations, are sure to make your home stand out above all others in the eyes of buyers.

In a favorable light. 10 Rules for a Successful Apartment Show - Realtors' Blogs

The first impression is formed even before a person has stepped over the threshold. The staircase needs to be cleaned up. Remove debris, clean or replace rug. The front door must be clean both outside and inside. nine0003

2. Get good lighting. The lighter the apartment, the more spacious it looks. Lights must be turned on everywhere. Windows should be clean and curtains should be open.

3. Eliminate bad odors. Do not use canned air fresheners to fill your apartment with fragrance. The atmosphere of comfort is best conveyed by natural smells. You can bake an apple with cinnamon, heat the buns in the microwave, make coffee.

4. Clean up the kitchen. nine0022 It must be very clean here: no leftover food or dirty dishes. Wash and dry surfaces.

5. Tidy up the bathroom. The bathroom looks neater if it is not lined with jars and bottles. There should be no soap stains on the floor, walls, mirrors. Clean the ventilation grill. Remove rust from pipes.

6. Pay attention to storage areas. Put things in order in the pantries, on the balcony or loggia. Free them from unnecessary things. nine0003

7. Persuade family photos. Portraits of tenants can cause unwanted associations in the buyer.

8. Pets must not be in the apartment. Have your pets stay with the neighbors during the show or have someone take them outside for a walk.

9. Do not accompany potential buyers. The owners should not show the apartment and talk about it on their own. This must be done by the realtor.

10. Listen to your real estate agent. nine0022 A professional knows all the subtleties. Follow his advice and you will sell the apartment as quickly and profitably as possible.

Memo

how to prepare the apartment for the show

1. ENTRANCE Remove trash from the entrance, wipe the front door.

2. LIGHT Wash windows, turn on all lights, open curtains.


Learn more