kay@kaypratt.com
    405-641-5754

Kay Pratt RE/MAX

Helping home buyers and sellers in central Oklahoma

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Showing Your Home

Once your house is listed you can expect me as well as other Realtors to start showing your home to prospective buyers. When your home is shown, you want to engage the buyer emotionally, since the decision to buy a home is based more on emotions than on logic. Give the buyer a reason to say “YES!” by accentuating your home’s positive attributes and do not draw attention to the negative aspects.

Your home should be open, fresh, breezy and inviting when showing to prospective buyers.

The Gracious Welcome

You want the buyer to imagine themselves living in your home. Remove family pictures from the walls so they don’t feel they are invading someone else’s home. Make sure the home is spotless and tidy. Nobody likes clutter, so get rid of extra items that you might find cozy, but the buyer might find cluttering.

Leave!

Never, ever be home for a showing. Make sure your kids are not home from school hanging out in the bedroom. You want your buyers to feel comfortable walking around, not pressed because they are taking up someone else’s time and space. Give them all the time they need to see your home, especially if they are there for a second showing.

Set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature before showings.

Check the Temperature

Now is not the time to worry about your utility bill. You want your guests to feel welcome and comfortable. If it’s cold enough to wear a sweater, turn up the heat! If it is warm outside, turn on the A/C. You want your buyer to linger at your home, enjoying their visit. They can’t do this if they are freezing or perspiring.

TIP: If possibly, warm or cool your house 1-2 degrees above or below normal right before the showing. This way the HVAC unit is not running while the buyers are visiting. Some HVAC units are noisy!

Create a Mood

You want to create a mood of comfortable ambiance in your home. Play soft background music. LIght a fire in the fireplace if appropriate. Place champagne glasses on a table. Place fresh flowers on the counter and fresh fruit in a fruit bowl. Have a plate of fresh baked cookies available for your guests, along with a note to help themselves. You want buyers to feel at home in your home.

TIP: If you leave food, don’t forget paper plates, cups, and utensils, if needed. And leave a waste receptacle out in plain sight.

The aroma of fresh baked cookies can make a home even more inviting!

Be Careful with the Scent

Many people are allergic to certain scents and deodorizers, so don’t spray the air or plug in air fresheners unless you must. Don’t burn candles or incense for the same reason. If weather and noise permits, open the windows. DO put out fresh baked cookies or breads or other yummy, great smelling snacks.

Light it Up

You want your home to feel light, airy and inviting, not dark and brooding. So turn on every light in the house prior to leaving for the showing. Turn on bedside lamps, open some windows, pull back the drapes. Light means invite. Make sure and use bright daylight balanced light bulbs, not the dingy soft yellow ones. Turn off the TV and left the soft music set the mood.

Open blinds and drapes, and place soft fabrics on sofas to encourage buyers to “touch” your home.

Encourage Touching

Soft sensuous fabrics encourage buyers to have a seat, touch the chairs, and feel at home. Place silk throws over arm chairs, and a nice luxurious sheepskin on the back of the sofa. Leave room doors slightly ajar. If you have carpeting, vacuum in one direction for an even, clean look.

Provide Thoughtful Cards

Attach printed cards to items in your rooms that provide further information the buyer might miss or not know. For example, if you have an antique chandelier in your dining room, put a card on it that discloses its age and other important details. If you have removed the washer and dryer from the laundry room, attach a card to the wall describing the room. If you offer a carpet allowance with the sale, leave a note on the counter explaining this fact. If there is a park nearby where children play, make a note of it. A “fast facts” sheet on the kitchen counter helps remind the buyer of why you like the home and area so much.

Create a form to encourage buyer feedback, and leave pen & paper on counter.

Encourage Buyer Feedback

The feedback you receive from buyers is invaluable as a seller. You can learn what works, what doesn’t, how your pricing compares to others, and other important tidbits of information that can help you in the future. Buyers feel obligated to respond to your request after being fed. Leave a short, simple questionnaire, no more than 5 questions. Allow buyers anonymity.

Stage Your Home

If you don’t have time to do your own staging, hire a professional stager to prep your home for sale.  They are impartial third parties and can help you maximize the look and ambience of your home, often using existing materials and furniture you already own.

As we all know, first impressions are important. Your buyer will be seeing dozens of homes, and if you go above and beyond what most sellers do in your home showing, your buyer will see your home in a much more favorable light and will think of you as a courteous, conscientious homeowner. You will immediately begin to earn their trust and this will often pay off in any future negotiations to purchase your home. A little kindness and forethought goes a long ways!

News

HUD logo

HUD to announce long-awaited FHA Condo rules

New HUD condo rules makes affordable housing available to more urban OKC residents.

Watch Edmond Liberty Fest Parade at RE/MAX Platinum

Join me at my RE/MAX Platinum office to watch the Edmond Liberty Fest Parade.

More News

Ask Kay

Six commonly asked questions about “comps”

Realtors often use the term “comps” in discussions. What are comps and how are they determined?

Downsides of carpet allowance in lieu of new carpet

Sellers often ask if they can just provide a carpet allowance on a listing in lieu of installing new carpet. In their mind, this is a benefit to the buyer since it allows the buyer to choose their own color and style of carpet. The benefit to the seller is they don’t have to deal […]

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Off the Beaten Path

Hosting Bicycle Riders from South Korea

James and I hosted two young men – Min Ho Park Jaewon Heo –  from South Korea who were riding bicycles this summer from Los Angeles to New York. They contacted us through Warmshowers.org, where we offer a room for bicycle riders to stay as they travel across America. They are following Route 66 from […]

Butterfield Overland Stage route on dirt bikes

Kay and I both love history, and we love riding motorcycles. We often combine our dual sport rides with a bit of historical sleuthing. This time we decided to follow in the footsteps of the Butterfield Overland Stage Route as it made it’s way through Oklahoma from St. Louis to the 1850’s gold fields of […]

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Buying a Home

We offer a 24 page handbook that offers detailed information on purchasing a new home in central Oklahoma. We walk you through the home search process, how to make an offer, and what to expect during inspections and closing. Sign up below for your free copy.

Contact Kay Now!

405-641-5754 Direct

kay@kaypratt.com

RE/MAX At Home
3224 South Broadway Suite 225
Edmond, OK 73013
Office: 405-708-6691

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AREAS WE COVER:

Nichols Hill, Guthrie, Edmond, Oklahoma City, Yukon

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