Confucius said, “A man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door.”
Apt words for sellers in this market.
I cannot share with you the problems that realtors encounter when trying to show homes because they cannot get the front door open – and if you can’t open the door, you can’t show the home.
It’s rather amusing how so many people have “tricks” to opening the locks on their doors and assume that the realtors showing their homes will figure it out. Jiggle it; push the key in the lock and then pull it out ever so slightly and try to turn the key, wiggle the door knob while turning the key, pull the door toward you while unlocking the door, and the list of tricks goes on…
I also marvel at the homes where people have several locks on a door but only lock the top lock or the bottom lock, or only have keys to one of the locks although both can be locked from the inside.
A word of advice to anyone planning to sell a home – make sure that it is easy for a realtor to show your home. If the lock doesn’t work properly, fix it. If you don’t have keys to all of the locks, have a locksmith replace or rekey the lock so that you have all of the necessary keys.
It is very frustrating for realtors and buyers, when they have traveled to see a home and cannot tour it because they cannot get the door opened. Plan ahead, fix the problem, and make it easy to cross the threshold. It sets the stage for everything else that a buyer will see in your house.
If you would like additional Seller Tips, take a look at our list of items in Preparing Your Home For Sale, or email us for our brochure entitled, “Pricing and Preparing Your House to Sell for Top Dollar.”
On a lighter note, if you are free on September 27th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., consider stopping by the Mays Chapel Fall Festival at Roundwood Center (Graul’s Market in Timonium). Jesse and I are sponsoring balloon twisting and face painting for the kids and there will be wine tasting and other activities for the adults – and it’s FREE!
Wishing you sunshine everyday and the home of your dreams,
Jeri
