TTC_01_13_21_Vol.17-No.12

Page 12 www.TheTownCommon.com
January 13, 2021
Unwritten Rules for Sellers
By John McCarthy, Rowley Realty
If you're trying to sell your
home, you've probably gone
through and scrubbed it, staged it,
decluttered it and maybe even had
a home inspector come through
and evaluate what you need to do
to fix it. However, no matter how
well you have put your home together
for sale, your behavior before
and while buyers are at your
home can lead to whether or not
you receive an offer. How? Here
are some unwritten rules that I
strongly suggest to sellers in advance
of a buyer coming to the
house.
Take your Pets with You
You love your dog. I get it. I love
my dog too. However, when you
come to my house she is thrilled
to see you, doesn’t matter if she
knows you or not, she will jump
all over you and occasionally lose
control of her little bladder. Some
dog lovers think that is cute,
however not everyone shares that
opinion. An extreme example of
why you should remove your pet.
Regardless, you are trying to get a
buyer to buy your home not show
off your dog. Cats should go too,
but indoor cats can stay if you
KNOW they will leave a buyer
alone.
We are trying to sell a home, not
show off your dog or cat. I know
that your pet may not like going
in the car. Take the dog for a walk
or bring the cat to the neighbor’s
house. Oh, and don’t get me started
on chirping/singing birds in
cages.
Hit the Road
I know you want to tell the buyer
all you have done to the home
since you have owned it. I am sure
your dissertation on the improvements
and additions to the home
would be helpful, but sometimes
even the best intentions can leave
buyers wary. I had a seller tell a
buyer that he loved his neighbors;
“They are terrific people, always
home and looking out for us. They
stopped by to tell us the mailbox
was bent last week and yesterday
said our daughter left her bike out
overnight.” When I asked the buyer’s
agent why they didn’t move
forward she said that her buyers
were concerned that the neighbors
would be “in their business all the
time”. Hard to argue with that.
Take a drive, go out to lunch, go
for a walk or hide at the friendly
neighbor’s house. When we are
done with the showing we will call
you and tell you how it went.
Make an Offer
The seller can make an offer as
well. How about offering up some
bottled waters with some ice if it
is a hot day, or some quick snacks
like cookies. Leaving these on the
kitchen counter or island is always
appreciated, and it will stand out
since it isn’t done in every house
while letting the buyer know you
appreciated their visit.
Move it
Getting everything out of the
way can go a long way to getting
a buyer off to a good start. Cars,
trailers, bikes and other items left
around the house or garage can
give the buyer the impression that
you don’t keep your home up. Get
your buyer into a good mood by
the time they enter the house. This
might seem trivial, and maybe it
is, but why take the chance. Put
your best foot forward.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand
Words.
If you are showing your home
this time of year, hopefully you
took pictures in the spring, summer
and fall. You can describe the
backyard and property until you
are blue in the face, but pictures
will show it. While on the topic
of pictures, I am often asked if
the seller should take down family
pictures. I don’t think having a
few pictures of kids or family will
work as a negative, however if you
have dozens scattered throughout
the house it will detract from the
features that you are trying to promote
to a buyer. If you want to
take down all family pictures for
privacy concerns that is certainly
fine as well. Getting rid of all evidence
anyone lives there seems a
bit excessive to me.
Patience is a Virtue
REALTORS® know you want
to know every detail of a buyer’s
visit. We will certainly give you an
impression or comments they may
have made, but sometimes buyers
are closemouthed. The information
may not get to us right away.
It could take a few days before we
hear from the other REALTOR®
or the buyer themselves. That said,
don’t let your REALTOR® off the
hook, and find out what that buyer
said about your home, as it may
be a common reason why people
aren’t buying your home.
Listen to the Professionals
If your REALTOR® has some
suggestions for improvements
that may help sell the home faster,
please listen. What you shouldn’t
do is take anything personally. If
your REALTOR® asks you to remove
a family heirloom, or the
picture of dogs playing poker over
the fireplace AND in the kitchen,
it is because we are trying to
get the house in the best possible
condition for sale, NOT because
we dislike dogs or poker. In other
words, don’t shoot the messenger.
Your REALTOR® is here to help
by suggesting changes or fixes to
your home or how you present
your home. Take nothing personally,
ask questions and be ready
for the unexpected. If you are, in
this seller’s market you may find a
large number of offers as the most
unexpected part of the sale.
If you have any questions about
this article, real estate in general or
are looking to buy or sell a home
please contact me, John McCarthy at
Rowley Realty, 165 Main St., Rowley,
MA 01969, Phone: 978 948-
2758, Cell 978 835-2573 or via
email at john@rowleyrealestate.com