Protect My Home During Open Houses:
A lot of things can happen when selling your home and hopefully these tips will come in handy.
- Over disclose. Accurate information that you know about the property should be disclosed. Fill out sellers disclosure and submit all documentation. Additionally, you may want to include this on the disclosure: Seller advises buyer to contact local municipalities about local wildlife. (Alligators). Buyer is responsible for verifying the lots size, square ft, boundaries and any permits on the property. This puts some of that responsibility back on the buyer should there be any issues. Being cooperative and transparent may also give the buyers some more peace of mind about this transaction.
- Remove all personal items/photos for protection and privacy before photos are taken.
Get Ready for Tours & Open Houses:
- Selling (or holding a property): Video and record/ take pictures of every single thing in your house. This will help you prove what was in the house if anything happened during the times that other people were in your home. This will also help you justify the amount needed to cover the costs of contents lost that were on your property should anything go amiss.
- Pack away and store/lock up all valuables and private documents/photos/medication.
- Post little signs that say- ‘watch your step’ for uneven or raised areas in the house/yard. This may help to limit risk by letting people know that you are taking precautions. Include those signs in your videotape too in case there are any issues.
- Have a place for keeping pets secure while people are touring the property.
- For Open House: Make sure your house is secure. Put a sign up that says ‘For security reasons we ask that you sign in before taking the tour’. This will help you keep track of who is on your property and may help detour those should not be.
- On Listing Agreements: Write in that only agents from the brokerage firm can hold open houses or privately show the property.
- Buy security cameras if you don’t have any. This helps you to keep an eye on your agent, know if the lights were left are on, see who is going in, etc.
- Provide a home warranty to the buyer. This may be the cheapest insurance policy you can take out and can protect you and minimize problems that may arise the day after the home sold.
- Smoke detectors should be in good working condition/dates labeled. (I would just replace them all if they have not been updated/ and include those in the video as well).
- As you have done a video recording the contents before putting home on the market, then do a walk through video of everything/condition proving exactly how you left the property.
- Contact your insurance and ask them to increase your liability insurance. Sometimes things can go wrong when selling your home and this can help give you some extra peace of mind.
- Be sure to be getting daily feedback from home-tours and Open Houses so you know what buyers are thinking. I request a feedback form from all of my guests to ensure the best service.
- Get rid of booties. These can be hazardous and then the liability issue (slippery floors) so you want to minimize hazardous things. Get rid of tripping hazards such as rugs.
Bonus tip: Your agent should be providing feedback forms and communicating with you all daily feedback to help you with your sale.
If you are planning on selling your home on the Space Coast and need to find a good Realtor, be sure to call or text me for a no-obligation consultation. My goal is to help you highlight your homes potential and maximize your sale. Let me show you what I can do to help you get the best deal for the least amount of stress.
Shannon Katz, REALTOR®. Call or text: c. 970-366-7644
Century 21 Circle
Indialantic, FL
