Control the Experience

Getting prospective buyers into your listing is only the beginning.  Insuring that their experience during the showing is a positive one is paramount.  Pay attention to all the details, such as smells and sounds.  A famous REALTOR trick is a dab of vanilla extract on light bulbs…as the lamps warm, a fragrant smell is emitted.  The same is accomplished by baking cookies or bread just before a showing.  Soft (and I emphasize SOFT) music playing in the background can also have a positive effect.  Televisions should be off.  Draperies and blinds should be open to allow as much natural light as possible, and lamp light is always a nice touch, even during the day.  We recommend setting dining tables when possible.  This should go without saying, but your pets should be invisible…in other words, out of the house, with no trace of food bowls or kitty litter boxes.  Not everyone is an animal person, and you don’t want to eliminate prospects over fear of pet dander, etc.