Your GMAC Real Estate Northwest Real Estate Agent will give you as much notice as possible when scheduling a showing for a potential buyer to view your home.  However, sometimes a buyer will be out with their realtorâ and ask to see your home, so it’s a good idea to keep your home neat and ready to be shown at a moment’s notice.  

What to expect when your home is listed and ready to show: 

• Your GMAC Real Estate Northwest Real Estate Agent may hang an electronic lock box on your door to allow licensed Real Estate Agents to show your home when you’re not there. The electronic lockboxes can be set for use during daytime hours only to prevent late night access into your home.
• Your GMAC Real Estate Northwest Real Estate Agent may schedule an open house so that interested buyers can tour the home without an appointment.   Open houses are usually scheduled for 2-3 hours on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday afternoon.  Your Sales Associate will work around the best time for your schedule. It is preferred that sellers leave their home during an open house.
• If potential buyers (or just curious lookers) “drop by” and want to see your home,  take their name and number and refer them to your GMAC Real Estate Northwest Real Estate Agent.  Don’t show them the house yourself without your GMAC Real Estate Northwest Real Estate Agent there to represent you 

When Your Home Is To Be Shown

It is vital in the home selling process to have your home looking its best when an agent shows it to potential buyers.  The way a house looks when you live in it is not always the same way it should look when you are selling it.  Buyers can get a better feeling of how their furniture will work in a home if it is clean and clutter-free, than if it is messy or full of someone else's collectibles.  Review the following tips to make sure your home is ready for a showing. 

• Turn on all the lights, including the outside entrance, even during the daytime.   Having the lights on brightens up dim areas and prevents harsh shadows caused by sunlight.
• Turn off the TV.  It is o.k. to play music, but it shouldn't be too loud.
• Take your pets with you or ask a friend to keep the pets. This is especially important during an open house.
• Put out fresh flowers, your best towels and a nice tablecloth, if suitable to your decor.
• It is best to leave when a Real Estate Agent brings a buyer to your house. This allows the buyer to take his or her time going through the house and to feel more comfortable asking questions. If you stay, be polite, but let the agent handle the questions, unless you are asked directly. 
• Do not use scented sprays; in addition to being obvious, the scent may cause an allergic reaction in some people.  A potpourri pot gives off a more natural aroma, as does vanilla.  Place a drop of vanilla on a stove burner and turn it on for just a moment, to emit a “freshly baked cookies” aroma. 
• Empty your kitchen trash, even if it is stored under the kitchen sink. 
• Keep the beds made in all bedrooms.
• Keep the bathrooms clean. Countertops clutter-free, and toilet seats closed.
• Open all draperies and curtains to let in as much natural light as possible.
• Pick up newspapers, magazines, empty glasses and other miscellaneous items that tend to get left behind in the living room or family room.
• Consider renting a storage unit to store items you won't need until you move.
• Keep the floors swept, mopped, or vacuumed.
• Dust daily.