Cool Results from Hot Weather Showings! 8 Tips for Sellers
It’s expected to be the hottest day of the year, and you have a request for a showing. Here are some tips and tricks to make it a success.
AIR CONDITIONING: If you’ve got it have it on!! It’s not the time to be frugal. If it isn’t on, or set too high, buyers wonder if it works at all or needs service. They will rush through your home and run back to the air conditioned car.
REFRESHMENTS: Refreshments? I should be serving refreshments? You’ve heard of baking cookies, well the hottest day of the year is not the day to turn on the oven. Let’s try something cool and refreshing. I can clearly remember a showing, many years ago. While I don’t remember the buyers or the exact house, there are 2 things I clearly remember- it was sweltering hot, and the refreshments! The seller had a tray on the kitchen counter filled with ice, bottled water and cans of soda. There was a note from the seller to enjoy a cold beverage and stay as long as we wanted to cool off. That was a smart move. If she had left a note that there were refreshments in the fridge, we’d feel awkward helping ourselves. But with the tray on the counter it was welcoming, and it worked! We needed the cooling off, and stayed longer in that home, than any other that day.
CEILING FANS: If you have them, use them. Don’t have them on high, sometimes that gives the appearance you are fighting a losing battle, or the noise is a negative distraction. Medium or low speed, gets the air circulating and creates a slight cooling breeze.
HUMIDITY: Don’t use the showers within a few hours of the showing. You don’t want any extra humidity or stickiness in the house. Cool and refreshing is what you are going for here.
COOKING: Like I said before, baking cookies is not in order today. Don’t add any extra heat (or smells) by baking or boiling before the showing.
BEDDING: Be sure at this time of year to change the bedding even more than normal. Sweat seems to cling to sheets and pillows and the college dorm dinge is not appealing on showings. Fresh and clean is what you want in bedrooms and baths.
POOLS: If you have one, show it off. That means the cover is off, the water is crystal clear and inviting anyone to dive in! 
The lawn furniture is also uncovered and set up in conversation areas, some pretty beach towels out. Even the table is set with some summer table ware like a colorful pitcher and glasses or those cute place settings you can get at Kohls (on sale) this time of year. Another memory I have is a buyer who requested to see a home, and the house across the street was also for sale and it perfectly matched their wish list. The only negative in their book was the in ground pool, which they said they’d never want. Since we were right across the street, and the house matched, I made them look at it. Guess what? They fell in love with it and really enjoyed that pool. What had happened there? Mr buyer worked in a very hot job, and he came to find the pool a great way to cool off and relax after a long day at work.
LAWNS: this is important no matter how high the temps are. A manicured lawn, watered, edged is so appealing. Try to cut the lawn the day before the showing. Hose off the drive, or use the blower. Super neat and trim is enviable and buyers love it. If you have pets, be sure the lawn “free of deposits” and is safe to walk on!
Again, you are trying to get the buyer to imagine living there. You want them to stay as long as possible in your home, placing furniture, cooking in that remodeled kitchen, entertaining friends. Keeping them in the house longer is a good sign, and you can do that by having the house so appealing, cool and providing refreshments.
If you are considering selling your home in the city or suburbs of greater Milwaukee, this is just the tip of the ice berg of advice I can give you. Whether its staging, pricing, negotiating or strategies, call me to help you put up a SOLD sign!
Posted by: 
Pat Tasker
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