While your home is on the market, you'll want to ensure you're presenting it in the best light. Consider the following:

For Vacant Homes

• Do not turn the water and power off. The buyers will think something is wrong with the home if the lights are off or the plumbing fixtures are not working. Also, keep the bathroom stocked with a few rolls of toilet paper, some hand soap, and paper towels. Buyers are often touring several homes over the course of many hours and will appreciate the ability to use the restroom if needed.
• Do not unplug the refrigerator. The buyers need to know that the unit works and is cooling. Additionally, refrigerators that are left off tend to sour over time and present a foul odor when they are opened.
• Rid the home of any foul smells. If you have a pet or a smoker in the home, please take measures to ensure any offensive smells are out. This can be one a buyer's biggest objections;   some folks won't even look at the entire home if they smell something they don't like when they enter.
• Keep the grass watered and mowed and the shrubs trimmed. If you have trees that shed, be sure to rake and pick up stray branches. Your home's curb appeal  sets the buyer's first impression.
• Keep the thermostat set to a comfortable temperature like 78 degrees or lower in the warm months. When the buyer enters the home, you want them to feel comfortable right away and know the A/C system is functioning normally.

For Occupied Homes

• When a showing request is received, do your best to accommodate the showing. It will be inconvenient at times, but this is our best chance at getting the home sold quickly.
• Have a checklist ready to help prepare the home to show quickly. The list should include tasks like picking up toys, pet dishes, opening the blinds to let natural light in, turning on lights, and making beds.
•  Leave the home for all showings. Buyers want to be able to talk candidly to their REALTOR® while at the property; your presence could prevent that. In addition, it restricts their ability to mentally take ownership of the property. Instead they'll feel like they're intruding in your home. Also, if you have a dog, please take them with you or have a neighbor take them for a walk or babysit them nearby.
• Remove as many of your family photos as possible. The buyers tend to get distracted with photographs of people and won't be as focused on looking at your home.

Showings & Feedback

Showing appointments for vacant homes will be automatically approved; you will be informed of showing appointments as they are scheduled by the buyer's agents. For occupied properties, you will receive a request to manually approve showing appointments. These approvals can be done  via app or  by text.

About half of the buyer's agents will give feedback on their experience at your property. You'll receive this feedback so you can be aware of buyer preferences and their level of interest in the property. Sometimes the feedback will include suggestions by the agent or objections that the buyer had while viewing the property. Do not get offended as this is part of the process and sometimes can help if there are items that can be improved upon to help the house show better to other potential buyers.

Offers

When we get an offer, I will present it to you along with an analysis of all the terms. I will help you negotiate the best terms for your situation. I will also provide you with an estimated net sheet showing your net take after expenses. This will not account for any mortgages or liens that you have on the property, as I am not privy to your payoff information. You need to be aware of what you owe and factor that in.

If you get an offer that you believe is low, consider countering the offer. Remember, once the offer is signed by both sides, it is then a binding contract.  Be sure to consider all the terms and not just the price. If you have agreed to a closing date and later discover it is bad timing for you, it may be difficult to get the buyer to agree to a change.

Under Contract

Once you have a fully executed contract, please pay attention to the contingencies and make sure you understand the milestone timelines. A buyer can cancel the transaction within the inspection period, so don't rush into packing boxes or booking your mover until the inspection period has cleared.

Buying/Selling

 If you are planning to use the proceeds from your home sale to buy your next home, this will likely involve a same-day closing. I typically would schedule your closing for your sale in the morning and the closing for your purchase in the afternoon. This often works best to allow for the delay inherent in wiring funds.

Keep in mind that the buyer of your home will typically want to do a final walkthrough the day before closing. This can be scheduled late in the day, but the home needs to be completely empty, clean, and ready for the new owner. The timing involved in this type of situation typically goes something like this:

• Two days before closing:  load moving truck
• One day before closing: clean home and prepare for new owner
• Afternoon/evening before closing:  buyer does final inspection of home (and you do final inspection on your home purchase)
• Morning of closing day: close on home sale and wire funds out for purchase
• Afternoon of closing day  close on home purchase 
• After the final closing, you can have your moving truck meet you at the new home to begin unloading.

Keep in mind that the above scenario typically involves the seller spending at least one night away from home. Customers will usually spend time with family, friends, or sometimes just get a hotel room.

Also, your belongings will be in limbo for at least one or two days, so make sure your moving company or rental truck provider is aware of this.