“Today, the market’s changing, and buyers can usually be more selective and take more time to explore their options.”
Once you’ve made the decision to sell your house and have hired a real estate agent to help, they’ll ask how much access to your home you want to give potential buyers. Your answer matters more now than it did in recent years. Here’s why.
At the height of the buying frenzy seen during the pandemic, there was a rise in the number of homebuyers who put offers on houses sight unseen. That happened for three reasons:
- Extremely low housing inventory
- A lot of competition from other buyers wanting to take advantage of historically low mortgage rates
- And general wariness of in-person home tours during a pandemic
Today, the market’s changing, and buyers can usually be more selective and take more time to explore their options.
So, in order to show your house and sell it efficiently, you’ll want to provide buyers with as much access as you can. Before letting your agent know what works for you, consider these five levels of access you can provide. They’re ordered from most convenient for a buyer to least convenient. Remember, your agent will be better able to sell your house if you provide as much access to buyers as possible.
- Lockbox on the Door – This allows buyers the ability to see the home as soon as they are aware of the listing or at their convenience.
- Providing a Key to the Home – This would require an agent to stop by an office to pick up the key, which is still pretty convenient for a buyer.
- Open Access with a Phone Call – This means you allow a showing with just a phone call’s notice.
- By Appointment Only – For example, you might want your agent to set up a showing at a particular time and give you advance notice. That way you can prepare the house and be sure you have somewhere else you can go in the meantime.
- Limited Access – This might mean you’re only willing to have your house available on certain days or at certain times of day. In general, this is the most difficult and least flexible way to show your house to potential buyers.
As today’s housing market changes, be sure to work with your local agent to give buyers as much access as you can to your house when you sell.
Bottom Line
Dreaming of a Bigger Home? Why Not Buy It This Year?
If you’ll be able to work remotely long-term or your overall needs have changed, it’s a great time to sell your house and move up.
What’s Motivating People To Move Right Now?
Having room to maintain a healthy lifestyle at home – physically and mentally – may prompt you to consider a new place to live.
6 Reasons to Celebrate National Homeownership Month
If you own your home, take time this June to celebrate the ways homeownership has added value to your life!
How Misunderstandings about Affordability Could Cost You
Homeownership is the first rung on the ladder of financial success for most households, as their home is most often their largest asset.
3 Things To Prioritize When Selling Your House
Even in today’s market, sellers are not guaranteed success. There are some key things to know so you can avoid costly mistakes and win big.
Where Do Experts Say the Housing Market Is Heading?
Here’s a look at what some experts have to say about what will drive the industry and the economy forward in the months to come.