Don't be Home During Showings

and take your pets with you

   Prospective homebuyers will be more uncomfortable if you are home when they come for a showing, and as a result, they might not be as anxious as you want them to be about viewing their potential new home in as much detail as they wish. For example, while they'd like to see how big the closets are, they may not open closet doors knowing that they'll be looking at your things with you there. Or they may wonder what kind of shape your floors are in under the area rugs, but they won't feel confortable lifting the area rug with you there.

    Visit the local coffee shop, go shopping or take your children to a movie or a park. If you absolutely cannot leave, try to remain in an out of they way area of the house and do not move from room to room. Do not volunteer any information to the prospective buyers but do answer honestly but qietly any questions the agent may have.

   And, if you have pets, take them with you when you leave during showings if that is at all possible.

If you have a dog or cat, you don't want your to pet run out the front door as the showing Realtor® and his clients arrive. The first problem is that the Realtor will now focus on retrieving your pet instead of showing the home to its best advantage. Second, your pet may get lost or harmed as it runs around the neighborhood.

    If you cannot take your pet with you, ask a neighbor if Fluffy the cat or Bowser, your dog, can stay at their home temporarily. If none of these options work, keep your dog or cat in a penned area in the back yard or use a pet-fence to limit them to someplace small like the laundry room and put a sign on the door. Most of the time, an indoor cat will hide when buyers come to view your property, but they may panic and try to escape. Make sure your Atlanta Georgia listing agent puts a notice with your listing in the MLS database if there are pets that must remain at home.