Make sure your home is easy to show!

To get your home sold quickly, it’s important that other agents in the area show it to as many potential buyers as possible. The first thing a good agent will do when working with buyers is talk to the buyer and learn what kind of home they are looking for. Then the agent will search all the available homes for those most closely matching what the buyer wants. Next, the agent puts together a list of the best matches to show to the buyer. When a busy agent is compiling a list of homes to show a buyer, the agent will naturally tend to show those houses that are easiest to gain access to first. Many homes on the market have “lock boxes” on them. The lock box is a device which holds a key to the home, that only qualified local agents can access. Homes that are listed as having  a lock box will get shown more often than homes listed as “agent has key, call for appointment”.  In reality the lock box is much more secure than giving agents a key.  The key is much more likely to be lost if it is carried in an agent's car than if it is put back into a lockbox immediatly after a showing. If at all possible, you should let your agent put a lock box on your home for easier showing. 

If you can’t do a lock box, you need to be sure that you make it as convenient and easy as possible for other agents to show your home.  If they call, do whatever you have to do to accommodate letting them show your home to buyers on their schedule.  If you don’t, the agent will probably show the buyer other homes, and if that buyer makes an offer on one of them, you’ve just lost a great opportunity.

It’s best if you can leave when the agent and buyer arrive to see your home.  Buyers won’t feel comfortable with you there, and it could sour an otherwise good impression.