With the holiday season in full swing, it’s only natural that you’re not focusing on your 2021 business plan at the moment. However, you’d be wise to freshen up on some home-staging ideas when you find some free time in between wrapping presents.
Like most real estate professionals, it’s likely been months since you last conducted home showings in earnest. With a vaccine now rolling out, it seems likely that we’ll start slowly heading toward a new normal over the course of 2021 and, with that, more and more buyers will be interested in in-person showings after the new year. Here are some home-staging tips to consider:
Keep It Toasty
Nothing feels more inviting during a frigid winter than being greeted by a wall of warmth when you enter a home you’re considering buying. Before potential buyers arrive, be sure to turn the thermostat up a couple of degrees, because giving them any reason to linger a little longer should be one of your goals.
Clear the Walkways
Of course, safety must always be your top priority when showing a home. You should always ensure that buyers can safely enter and exit any property that you bring them to. Aside from shoveling, make sure all walkways and steps have been properly salted so as to neutralize any potential slipping hazards.
Let the Light In
Winters can inherently feel dark and dreary so don’t add to that ambiance by keeping shades and blinds shuttered. Make sure you let a lot of natural light in during showings; doing so can have a positive impact on how buyers view a home. Also, if you plan on showing any areas that don’t get a lot of sunlight, like a basement, be sure to turn on plenty of lights.
Agents, what are some other tactics you’re employing to ensure that your home showings are more inviting in 2021?
Jameson Doris is RISMedia’s social media/blog editor. Email him your real estate news ideas to jdoris@rismedia.com.
Make sure ALL lights are working! Higher wattage light bulbs for winter. Leave the exterior light on for agents and buyers for night showings for safety. If you have a combo on the front door make sure it’s a push button or easy roll updated combo box for agents. When it’s dark and 80 below zero NO agent wants to work with the old school locker combo’s.
Scents
Appealing scents- whether a fresh batch of cookies, apple cider, a mild candle or fresh mild air freshener or diffuser. Overdoing it , however, can be worse then adding no scent at all. Door MatsNew door mats outside and in. During the winter weather, it is common for people to wear boots. And there’s nothing more messy looking than an old front door mat or worn /mismatched indoor mat. It’s part of the first impressions. Since we require most people to wear booties or take off their shoes, it’s also smart to have a place for people to set their wet boots or shoes instead of the hardwood floor. It also reinforces the impression that the homeowner takes great care with their home.
Marketing Material or QR Code
Due to Covid, there are less broker opens. So during this time it is more important than ever to have a professional array of marketing materials that a buyers agent can refer to while showing a home they may never have seen before. Even if it is a display with a QR code. I feel buyers become more engaged with a Home if they get answers to their questions while they aee still in that home. It enhances the level of the experience and the buyer becomes more comfortable with understanding the home. So while some people may not take the literature with them, they can refer to it during the showing.
I agree making sure you have as much online as possible for walkthrough, videos, and other materials is key in making sure a property sells in this market with the way people are staying hold up.