Create Accessible Showings

To sell your home quickly, agents in the area must show it to as many potential buyers as possible. 

The first thing a good agent does when working with buyers is to talk to the buyer and learn what kind of home they are looking for. The agent will then search all available homes that most closely match what the buyer wants. Next, the agent puts together a list of good matches to show to the buyer.

Here's how to make your home easy to show:

Quick access via lockbox

When a busy agent is compiling a list of homes to show a buyer, they tend to show houses that are easiest to access to first.

Many homes on the market have lock boxes on them. A lock box is a combination lock device which holds a key to the home, and only qualified agents are able to access this device and get the key. Homes that are listed under "lock box/no appointment needed" get shown more often than homes listed under "agent has key" or "call for appointment."

If at all possible, let your agent put a lock box on your home for easier showing. 

Can't do a lock box? Be sure that you make it as convenient and easy as possible for other agents to show your home. Do whatever you have to do to accommodate letting them show your home to buyers on their schedule.

The importance of staging

Yes, we all know someone who has bought or sold a house that was not staged for prospective buyers. 

However, most buyers are looking for a home that feels move-in ready. Especially in this age of live-streaming, social media, virtual tours, and real time feedback, you need to ensure that all parts of your house are ready to be shown. This includes exterior landscaping and maintenance as well as interior organization. Buyers are not just going to wander into a cluttered kitchen and wander back out. They will look inside rooms, closets, garages and storage areas, just like you did when you bought your current house.

I've put together a checklist of curb appeal staging tips here.

Give buyers and agents time alone in the house

I understand it may feel strange to have people you don't know wandering through your home with an agent. 

That's why it's best if you can leave when the agent and buyer arrive to see your home. Buyers won't feel comfortable giving their opinion on the house with you there, and any reactions to their feedback on the house, good or bad, could sour an otherwise good impression of a prospective home.

There are also bound to be a lot of emotions that come up when you imagine leaving your current home or think about someone else living in it. Make the selling process easier on yourself, your agent, and any buyers by leaving them alone during showings. 

Overall, showings are one of the most important ways to make your home stand out to potential buyers. If you can't make your home available to prospective buyers when they're free, the agent will probably show that buyer other homes. If their buyer makes an offer on one of these properties, you've just lost a great opportunity.