10.  WHAT IS/WAS FOR DINNER?!?  *Insert best caveman voice here* candle, incense, fragrant oils GOOD!  Curry, crockpot roast BAD!  Unless you are baking apple pie, keep the cooking smells to a minimum especially if you know for certain a showing is scheduled!  Sellers should avoid any and all fish, fried or distinct ethnic foods that may leave a lingering scent.  I have heard many a buyer discount a home over smells.

9.  PETS – No one loves animals more than I do however to the buyers out there that are not animal friendly, nothing will kill a home sale quicker than the family dog or cat roaming around.  While I understand that coordinating a showing around animals is very difficult (especially for last minute calls) but sellers should make every effort.  Instead of a sign on the front door saying “Do not let cat out” why not put the sign on the laundry room door and leave cat in there?  True Story:  I once had a client that had a phobia of cats and refused to see any home that had one.  When showing, sellers should remove all evidence of animals (toys, water/food bowls, kennels, etc) and most importantly remove all SMELLS and vacuum pet hair regularly.

8.  LIGHT BULBS – Nothing looks worse to a buyer when they walk into the master bathroom and see that most of the lights at the master vanity are burnt out.  Same goes with kitchen, dining or any other room in the house!  Sellers should do a weekly inventory of every light in the house and replace as needed.  Which leads me to my next point…

7.  DARK ROOMS – While not every showing is scheduled in advance, when possible the seller should turn on all overhead lights and lamps.  Also equally (if not more) important is to open all blinds and curtains so natural light floods the rooms.  Never underestimate the power of light!

6.  TEMPERATURE – whew, this is a tough one especially in the era of vacant bank owned foreclosures and seller deserted pre-foreclosure short sales where most properties do not have power turned on.  What I can say from my experience is anytime there are extreme temperatures (freezing cold in winter and blazing hot in summer) buyers are in and out in a flash!  Kind of hard to get a buyer interested in a property when they won’t stay in it longer than a few minutes.  When possible keep temperatures at a reasonable and comfortable level.

5.  FAMILY PHOTOS AS DÉCOR – I have always stood firm that sellers should not remove every photo from their walls however that statement is only reserved for the seller who uses photos sparingly.  For the seller who uses family photos as décor on every wall in every room then I recant that statement.  Buyers should be looking at the home not counting how many kids the seller has!  Removing personal excess keeps the buyer focused.

4.  COLORS / WALLPAPER – There is no secret that I have a strict “no wallpaper policy” in place.  This is 2010 people, mullets and bellbottoms are gone, so should the wallpaper.  I love it when sellers tell me that it is too time consuming and/or expensive to remove and I kindly remind them that the buyer is thinking the exact same thing.  I once had a seller adamant against removing her aged yellow wallpaper from the 1970’s and she told me that a home was not a home without flowered wallpaper in the kitchen.    I told her I was glad she loved the wallpaper and I would be happy to sell her back her own home for a reduced commission.  She didn’t get the joke!  I share the same sentiments about paint color.  I am so glad that you loved your red family room, yellow dining room, orange kitchen but when it is time to sell it’s time to PAINT!  Never go white, it looks too institutional.  Behr has an amazing color called “Indulgent Mocha” that is light and bright with just a touch of taupe.

3.  SMOKING – If you are a smoker then it is time to take the smoking outside FULL TIME until the home has closed.  If you have smoked in the home for 30 years then I will probably turn down your listing.  Majority of buyers turn around in the foyer to leave when they smell the remnants of cigarette or cigar smoke.  Nothing kills a home sell faster than smoking!

2.  CLEAN YOUR HOUSE!  – I do not live in a perfect model home but then again I am not trying to sell my house either.  Every day you should make your bed, clean your kitchen, hide dirty clothes in laundry room.  Every day you should leave for work as if you had an important showing scheduled that same day.  A couple years ago I had some buyers up from Florida for a packed house hunting weekend, we had 20 viewings scheduled for the Saturday in Powder Springs and planned to submit an offer on the top pick.  The first home of the day was unkept (dirty dishes in sink, pile of dirty laundry on floor, kids toys strewn around the house and seller walking around in his boxer shorts) not to mention every room was painted a different color.  My buyers walked out of the home and said “gross”.  Nineteen homes later we had made a complete circle and close to where we began our search.  My buyers walked in, threw their hands up in the air and said “THIS IS IT!  We love this home!”  Ironically enough it was the same floorplan, probably from the same builder as the first home.  The difference was it was cleaned, neutral and move in ready.

1.  SELLER GIVES THE NICKEL TOUR – Nothing is more uncomfortable for a buyer or a buyer’s agent when the seller feels the need to guide us through their home highlighting every change, upgrade and special moment that has happened for the 20 years they have lived there.  A buyer on a mission knows within a few minutes if they like the home however if the seller is there now we feel obligated to talk back and walk through observing every room even though the home was discounted as soon as we smelled cigarette smoke.  I do not necessarily feel that sellers should always leave the property.  Although it is more preferable, it is not always convenient for a seller to leave especially when buyer’s agent has given a wide timeframe of showing window.  With that being said, I recommend to my clients that they should take a walk around the block, even just step outside on the deck to give the buyer some privacy to look at the home in peace.  It’s also crucial for the buyer’s Realtor to get a good feel of what their client likes and dislikes about the home.  It is very difficult to be honest about the home with your Realtor if the seller is standing right there.