Marketing a home can be extremely difficult if there are too many restrictions on the showings of the property.  I believe it is a good idea to have a plan that will enable the most showings of your property, which will probably bring the best price.  I am presently working with a buyer and plan to show properties that fit his needs during a three hour window.  Every home that I want show has instructions to meet the agent to show.  One property requires 48-hour notice to show.  The difficulty that arises is how to time the showings to allow the buyer to fully view the homes and try to calculate driving time from house to house.  I really do not want to have to say, “I know you like this house, but we have to go now so we won’t be late for our next appointment.”  If we are running ahead of time and reach the next house before the other agent gets there, I really do not want to sit in the car and wait.

When you list your property, it is wise to install a lock box.  The lock boxes we use today are electronic and our openers are updated daily.  In addition, the listing agent is e-mailed after the showing with the buyer’s agent’s name, contact information and showing time.  If you decide you really do not want to use a lock box, it might be a good idea to set apart certain times each day that an agent can call first and then just go to show your home.

Open houses for brokers are another effective way to show your home and these should be held throughout the listing period for maximum exposure.  I had a listing that I held open every week.  The last one brought only one agent, but she sold the house!  Public open houses should be held on Sundays, when you plan to be away for the afternoon anyway.  I always hold public open houses with my real estate partner so we can properly represent the property to multiple groups.  We require that each person log in to our guest book.

I know it is still difficult to have people streaming through your home.  Keep your home as clean as possible and then have a set regimen for what to do when you get an agent calling to show your home.  Clean the kitchen counters; make sure there are no dirty dishes in the sink; wipe down the bathroom sinks and toilets; make sure everything is put away.  One of my clients had five young children.  When an agent would call to show her house she would take a big garbage bag and throw any toys laying around and even half-eaten peanut and jelly sandwiches into it and toss the bag in the garage and off she would go.  The agents were able to show the house with little notice and it sold quickly.  Even if your home is not as perfect as you think it should be when shown, it is probably better to let the agent show it.  One listing I had was shown when the owner was not expecting anybody; she was very upset that there were toys strewn everywhere.  Well, that person bought her home for full asking price.  The important thing to remember is, “You can’t sell it if you can’t see it.”