A buyer’s early impressions are crucial, so it’s extremely important to make sure that you are prepared to properly handle showings. It’s best to handle buyers in a calm, unemotional manner. Try to be as responsive as possible to requests for information or last-minute showings. Most of all, it’s important to be patient. If you appear too eager to a buyer you are only undermining your negotiating position.

• Dealing with Showings
  Showings are where your home really gets sold. First impressions are of vital importance – if the buyer isn’t intrigued at the outset there is very little likelihood that an offer will be forthcoming. Make sure your home is available on short notice and is always looking its best. Let your agent take the lead during showings. You may not even want to attend – many buyers feel more comfortable viewing a home without the owners present.
• Controlling Your Emotions
  Selling a home is an emotional undertaking for many people. Listening to buyers making candid – and often insensitive – remarks about your home can be upsetting. It’s best to ignore this kind of thing, however, and not let it get to you. If you find these comments difficult to take, or are simply uncomfortable with the notion of strangers prowling around your home, arrange to be out during showings – your agent is capable of handling the situation.
• Handling Information Requests
  Buyers may ask a variety of questions about your home and the neighborhood. Make sure you only provide information that you know is correct. Misleading a buyer – even accidentally – could cause problems down the road. If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so. You can always offer to check it out and get back to the buyer.
• Identifying Real Buyers
  There is really no reliable way to discern whether buyers are serious or not until an offer is made. Some buyers will visit a home 3 or 4 times and never go any further, while others will make an offer the day they see a property for the first time. Our tips for Identifying Real Buyers offer a few pointers on spotting the serious ones.
  • Identifying Real Buyers
    Serious buyers purchase homes. It may seem like a painfully obvious fact, but there are many lookers and marginal buyers out there as well. Consider these characteristics of the strongest purchasers.
    • Mortgage Prequalification
      Some buyers will seek a prequalification for mortgage financing from their lender. When it is time to evaluate potential buyers, if you are uncertain as to what a mortgage prequalification is, speak to your lender to gain a better understanding of the implications associated with buyer prequalification.
    • Does the Buyer Have to Sell a House?
      A buyer whose home is already sold – or one who does not require a sale to compete the new purchase – is preferable to one who is depending upon finding a buyer for his or her current house.
    • Transferees
      Transferees are typically extremely strong buyers. They are usually under time pressure to make a purchase, so they will probably make a fast decision and move swiftly to closing. In many cases their employer is providing assistance in selling the old home or purchasing the new one.