What To Expect When You're "On" The Market

What should you expect when your house is actually “on” the market? Typically a week prior to your home being listed in the Multiple Listing System and buyers being shown your home, this is what happens:

• The listing paperwork is signed, your home is measured for a floor plan, the interior and exterior photos are taken, ad copy written and the brochure prepared.
• On the agreed list date, the property and photos are uploaded into the MLS along with the floor plan, survey, Seller’s Disclosure and Lead Disclosure.
• A realtor open house is immediately held on a Tuesday or Thursday from 10 a.m. to  1 p.m.  This is when agents get to preview and see all listings new to the market.
• A public open house is scheduled for that Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.
• A lockbox is placed on your front door with a key inside which realtors will use to access your home.

It sounds so easy … not.  The typical homeowner has their home 100 percent ready about 10 minutes after the realtor open house has begun!  The night before they are buying fresh flowers, hiding the kids school papers, cleaning and staying up late to accomplish everything and yes, they are totally stressed out.

Some realtors will walk through the house, and after seeing it first hand they are calling their eager clients to come take a look.  You are now on the buyer's schedules and not your own.  The first week a house is on the market you should see the most traffic.  Agents are calling to show, sometimes during dinner or the kids naptimes and you find that living in your own home has become quite a challenge.  Throw a pet into the mix and, oh, you can imagine.

A few days into the listing and you finally have time to look at the many internet sites that your home has been uploaded to.  In looking at the photos, where are the flowers and the new pillows you bought for the sofa?  Oh yea, you got them AFTER the photos were taken.

What you want to do next time you sell (yea right!) or if your are lucky enough to read this before you are going to sell, is to use the week “before” you are MLS listed as a dress rehearsal.  Buy the flowers, candles, pillows and make the house perfect “before” the photos are taken.  Watch what happens to your perfectly picked up house when the kids come home from school with all their stuff?  Try this.  Find one cabinet in or near the kitchen that has appliances you use maybe once a year.  Move them to the basement or pack them now and use that empty cabinet for your catch all.  When an agent calls to show … throw the dirty dish, the schoolwork, the unopened mail, anything in that cabinet.  Simple.  In a coat closet or corner of a room, put an attractive basket.  Need to stash anything in a hurry to tidy up … in the basket it goes.

Believe me, a week's worth of dress rehearsals will save you sanity.  For all the painting, fixing, and getting your home ready to go on the market and show it’s best, why tarnish is with last minute chaos.  You all do it.  Build the extra week into your timeframe when you are planning to list.  You will be thankful!