Real NEastate: Tips for a good showing

Q: My home has been for sale in East Torresdale for 5 months and I’ve had more than 32 showings. It’s on a great street and it’s priced right, even lower than a couple others. So why is it so many people want to see it but none have made offers? A: The three main components that make up a sellable house are: location, price and condition. If you have the first two going for you, then take a look around. Your home may need a few tweaks to make it more appealing to potential buyers.

1. De-clutter. Throw away newspapers and magazines and pack up most of your small knick-knacks. You’re moving anyway, right?

2. Brighten it up. Place higher wattage bulbs in light fixtures to brighten up rooms.

3. Smells be gone! Eliminate smoke and pet smells by cleaning the carpets. Light a scented candle before showings.

4. Do NOT ignore minor repairs! Take care of the little things you always meant to get to. Small problems, like old, cracked caulking, may seem inconsequential, but it can leave buyers with the impression that your home isn’t well maintained.

5. Be Mr. Clean. Pay attention to the everyday things you don’t notice: wash light switch plates, wax the floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator doors. Get that Mr. Clean eraser and un-scuff your walls. It may even be worth hiring a cleaning service if you can swing it.

Basically, treat your home as if important people were coming for dinner, like your boss or family, and you want to impress them. You want to impress potential homebuyers even more!

Good Luck!

Stacey McCarthy is a real estate agent with the McCarthy Group of Keller Williams. Her Real NEastate column appears every Wednesday on NEastPhilly.com. See others here. Read other NEast Philly columns here.