Top 7 Ways to Make a Great Showing Impression

There's a slew of things you can do before you show your home to a potential buyer. Some of what you will do can have a major impact on the quality of the buyer's experience while touring your home and can mean the difference between six months on the market and sold in the first week.

1. Keep litter boxes clean.
   
   If you have cats you will need to pay extra special attention to the litter box(es) before you leave the house. One rogue kitty bomb in the litter box can send buyers running in the other direction!
   
   
2. Don't bake or cook foods with strong or harsh odors before showing the home.
   
   I remember one home we walked into where the homeowner was steaming broccoli. Not just a normal amount either and the pungent odor it left throughout the entire house killed their chances of selling to my buyer. If you can avoid it, don't cook with high odor foods before a showing. On the other hand, cookies and nicely scented foods are always a great thing to slip in the oven before a tour.
   
   
3. Replace your front door mat.
   
   The first thing you step on when you enter your house, the front door mat can become pretty run down after a while of frequent traffic. Some homeowners decide to forgo a front door mat but if you need one be sure to find an attractive new one to put down before you put your house on the market.
   
   
4. Use appealing storage containers to store toys.
   
   Taking care of kids is a full time job. Unfortunately, not all buyers will see through the daily antics of a three year old and will pass on a house that looks like a family theme park. Do your best to store toys and other non-essential children's items in attractive storage bins.
   
   
5. Take pets with you or put them in the garage.
   
   It sounds harsh but non-stop barking from a dog has ruined more home tours than I care to mention. If you can't take your dog out for a walk you should consider taking them with you in your car. It'll give buyers a chance to freely explore your home and avoid aggravating any dog anxieties a buyer may have.
   
   
6. Remove rarely used kitchen counter appliances.
   
   Crock pots, bread makers and the once a year espresso from the espresso machine are great to have but take up too much valuable space. Clear off counters and leave only the most used appliances behind for buyers to see.
   
   
7. Touch up all molding and seams throughout the house.
   
   Whether it remains from the builder or you brought in a contractor who did a sub-par job, all moldings and molding seams should be inspected and corrected if needed. Shoddy craftsmanship on minute items like molding lead buyers to think there may be more (or less) behind the walls then they're paying for.

Joshua Ferris is an associate real estate broker in Orange County NY and specializes in both Monroe New York and Newburgh New York real estate. Be sure to visit Josh's Monroe New York real estate guide.