In the third of our articles to help you get your property sold we will explore the last of the three most important words in real estate – Availability. If you’re just joining in catch up by reading the first and second articles of this series. Just because your property is on the market does not mean it is available for an easy and successful showing.
Properties must be seen when a potential Buyer wants to see them. If they can’t see it, they probably won’t buy it. You must make your property available – for the Buyer. There is an exception, of course. When an out-of-area Buyer sees a superb virtual tour of the home and the neighborhood when they read a perfect description, and see a complete set of photographs, they might just decide to buy ‘sight unseen’ or tell their Realtor to arrange a showing on their behalf, and then to write an offer subject to them coming into town to see for themselves. That doesn’t happen, a lot, but it does happen.
A great virtual tour, great photographs, and a great description are all part of making your home ‘available’. At the very least, it is the equivalent of the display in the store window that encourages potential Buyers to want to come in and see for themselves.
The local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) passes property details on to many other major real estate marketing internet sites like Realtor.com. Other Realtors who want to attract Buyers to work with will also feature your home on their own websites. This increases exposure and makes your property more available to potential buyers.
Many Realtors plan ahead and book showing appointments at least half a day in advance. Some Buyer agents plan even further ahead. They are busy people, so help them to help you. When they or their office calls to arrange a showing do everything you can to have your property ‘show home ready’. Here is another thought. Realtors who like how easy it is to view your home, and who like what they see (even if their current Buyer doesn’t) will want to show it to other potential Buyers. They will keep showing it and that will increase the chances of selling. If they get the impression a property is difficult to show, they stop trying. That reduces the chances of selling. Availability is essential to a speedy sale.
When there is a showing, do not be there. Go shopping, go for a walk, do anything that takes you out of the house. Buyers want to mooch around, open drawers, look inside closets, and test the faucets. They want to get a good feel for what might become their new home. If they know you are there, watching and listening, they might not spend enough time imagining where they would put their furniture, or talking about something that matters to them.
Many sellers who are present for a showing know what is important to them, so they talk. Not all Buyers are interested in the same thing, so if the Seller is talking, the other things that a Buyer is interested in are not, actually, available for them to see, ask their Realtor about, think about, and make decisions about. If you are there during the showing, the property is not ‘fully available’.
Have as much useful information available as possible. Leave a folder out with extra photographs – sunrises, sunsets, your favorite hangouts, and shopping malls. Put utility and repair bills out in another folder. If you still have your construction blueprints, leave them out, as well.
There are two reasons for you to do this:-
The more Buyers have to look at, the longer they stay. The longer they stay, the better the feel they get, and the more they will remember about your property. They might see six or more homes today – help them remember yours.
Some Buyers want to know about utility costs, or when you last repaired or replaced something.
So the more you make available, the more you get ahead, and stay ahead, of your competition. Finally please remember that availability is also important to us at Liberty Land Transfer, Inc. We are here to answer your questions – whether you are a Seller or a Realtor. And when you have a contract in place and it is time to raise that title order, please contact us so we can manage your sale through to a successful and timely closing.
Liberty Land Transfer is a Pennsylvania-based title company dedicated to fostering long-term relationships. Our clients know us for our diligence, flexibility, and attention to service. Contact us to find out why we’re the right company for you.