As a REALTOR in Western MA, I get the chance to see a lot of homes, but this week was even more than is typical.  I had an out of town client in for just a couple of days.  He had an ambitious list of homes he wanted to see and not much time to do it.

Luckily for both of us, I have the process of scheduling showings down to a science.  If the homes a client wants to see are in the same general area, I can schedule us to see up to four houses in one hour.  Also, I tell my buyer clients that we are under no obligation to view every square inch of every home we see.  If we have walked through the main living area and you know for a fact, you are NOT buying this home, then why bother going into the basement?  I tell my clients to give me constant feedback on their thoughts while we are in the home so we can better manage our time with the properties we might purchase.

So on Friday I showed this buyer client 7  homes in a little over two hours.  The following day we saw 4 more in approximately an hour.  Here is a brief and anonymous rundown of our experience:

• House #1- horrible carpeting was the first thing we saw upon entering.  Not just the color (pea green), but the condition was atrocious.  The house was dated AND it was messy.  We stayed about five minutes until my client gave it a firm, “no way”.

• House #2- Lovely from start to finish.  Not only was the home immaculate and staged for showings, but the lights were on and the home had obviously been well maintained on a regular basis.  Two of the bedrooms were small children’s rooms and they were uncluttered and spotless.  Our entire experience was one of good impressions and the buyer loved this property.  We stayed at least 20 minutes here and looked at every square inch of the home. 

• House #3- Great neighborhood, bad driveway.  Upon entering there was a lovely front room and great open kitchen area, but the house was still decorated for Christmas and the flooring was different in each room.  The home was neat, but not prepped for showings.  We stayed about 10 minutes until the buyer decided it was too much updating.

• House #4- Nice spot on the end of a street, yard (what you can see under the snow) was great.  Inside was cluttered with piles of things like baseball hats and t-shirts being prominent in the bedrooms.  This home was too small for my client.  We stayed about 1o minutes.

• House #5- I wish I could give feedback on the inside.  The home was on a nice cul-de-sac.  The exterior needed updating and the front doors were very old.   We tried to get inside, but the key wouldn’t turn in the lock.  We actually stayed at this house quite some time (probably 15 – 20 minutes) trying to get in before we gave up and moved on.  The listing agent was pro-active in getting the door opened later, but we were unable to return and the buyer decided he didn’t want to see it, anyway.

• House #6-  The client hated the neighborhood and we didn’t go inside. 

• House #7- This was a lovely new construction home with a nice layout, hardwood floors on the entire first floor and a HUGE MBR suite.  We stayed about 20 minutes here as the client debated the bonus of having a new home vs. the location on a busy street.  This property was his second favorite home.

• House #8- Buyer liked the location and the layout.  Home was very clean, but the client didn’t like the white carpeting that runs throughout. 

• House #9- Super large raised ranch on a nice street.  We were both impressed with the space available.  There were some dated elements to the home and while it was neat, it wasn’t staged.  We stayed about 15 minutes and this was the buyer’s third choice. 

• House #10-  First issue, the sidewalks were not shoveled and this showing was after snow, ice and during the showing…rain.  The walk to the front door was treacherous.  Inside was very nice, although on the small side and on a busy road.  We stayed about 15 minutes while the buyer considered the size.

• House #11-  Treacherous driveway.  The buyer didn’t want to see inside.

So, if you made it this far here are the take-aways from my two days of showings:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:  If your driveway is icy or front walk is not cleared and de-iced, the buyer has a red flag up before they even step inside your home.  As seen with my client, they may decided NOT to go in your home based on this.  Things like front doors and decorations also add to the first impression.

OPENING THE FRONT DOOR:  What is the first thing a buyer will notice when the door is opened?  If it isn’t a benefit to the property, find a way to fix it.  You want to encourage the buyer to want to see more of the home based on the entry.

STAGING:  Yes, folks, staging matters.  It is an added job and potentially an added expense if you hire a professional, but it will pay off in the end.  Buyers are looking at your home as a commodity, as a potential next home for themselves NOT as your home.  Get neutral and get retail and your home will stand out from the rest of the Western Mass homes for sale.

PREPARATION: If you live in the home, prepare the home for the showing.  Turn on the lights, make sure it smells nice, play some soft classical music and if it is winter, make sure the heat is turned up.

KITCHENS:  The kitchen should be empty of your life.  No dishes, no utensils, certainly no mail on the table.

BATHS:  If your bath features colored tile (pink, blue, green, etc) then you might want to consider having it painted with porcelain paint.  Outdated vanity?  Replace it…they aren’t expensive.   Outdated flooring?  Replace it….most bathrooms aren’t that large and you can get the job done at a reasonable price.

BASEMENTS:  Organize and clean.  Make sure buyers can see the hot water tank, furnace, electric panel, etc.

In a nutshell, the homes that are clean and staged give the buyer the impression that the home has been well cared for.

If you are looking for a REALTOR to help you sell your Western MA home, I would love to help you prepare your home for sale.  I can guide you with what improvements and decorations can be made to improve the sale-ability of your home.

If you are looking for a REALTOR to help you buy your Western MA home, I can set up your showings in the most efficient manner and support you during the search for your next home.

Lesley Lambert, Park Square Realty in Westfield, MA is a REALTOR in Western Massachusetts.  She has been helping Western MA home buyers and Western MA home sellers with their real estate needs for over 24 years.  You can reach Lesley at 413-575-3611.